The Plattsburgh State volleyball team ended its season on a positive note last weekend. The Cardinals defeated The Sage Colleges in a double header, hosted in Troy, New York.
PSUC took the first match 3-1 (25-23, 22-25, 25-10, 25-19) and dominated the second game 3-0 (28-26, 25-19, 25-18).
The Cards finished the season 8-21, improving from last year’s 6-21 campaign.
Matt Lein finished his first season as head coach of the team.
“This is what I really love to do,” Lein said. “We progressed tremendously throughout the year. I think we finally figured ourselves out.”
Lein’s squad has grown fond of their coach.
“There is no one better for the job,” setter Allyssa Rock said. “We love how supportive he is.”
If Rock had to describe Lein in one word, she would say “brotherly”.
This year, the team consisted of 13 players, none of whom were seniors.
“I’m allowed to travel with 17,” said Lein. “I’m over-recruiting just in case something happens. That full roster gives us more options as a team. I want to give us a little more depth.”
With 13 players set to return, Rock is excited to play with the same roster next year.
“We’re very different from any other team in the SUNYAC,” Rock said. “I think we can only get better from here.”
Lein echoed that view.
“I’m hoping that all 13 come back,” Lein said. “They’ll have a lot of team chemistry already, a lot of teams we play are all juniors and seniors who have been playing together for three or four years. I think it’s going to be huge for us next year.”
PSUC has not had a winning season since 2013. The closest they came was in 2016 when the Cards finished 14-17. The biggest question for the team is whether the year that changes could be 2019.
The return of setter Rachel Mennonna, who was out this season with injury and served as the team’s manager, is very good news to hitters like Michelle Simmons. Simmons was dominant all year, winning SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Week earlier in the season.
Expectations are high.
“They need to come in and work hard every day,” Lein said. “I told them already that I want to bring in three or four new freshmen, and try to get them assimilated into this culture as well. We’re going to start off where we ended this year.”
Email Jack Flood at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
