MARCY, N.Y. - The Wildcat women's volleyball team split their two games on Saturday, beating Utica College in five sets and losing to Plattsburgh St. in three sets. The Wildcats bounced back nicely from what was a difficult season opener to earn their first win of the 2021 season in thrilling fashion over a local rival. In the second match, the Wildcats were overmatched by a very talented Plattsburgh State team that went 2-0 in the tri-match with two three-set wins. The Wildcats now have a 1-2 record this season.
MATCH ONE: Utica College
In the first match of the afternoon, it looked like the Widlcats would make quick work of cross-town rival Utica College after going up 2-0 in the first two sets. Utica fought back, stepping up their attack and blocking game to take a close third set. The Utica attack played lights out in the fourth set, hitting .357 as a team to earn a decisive 25-15 win to force a deciding set. In the fifth set the Wildcats got up big, amassing a 14-7 lead, but the Pioneers had no quit in them. Utica would score six consecutive points to make it a 14-13 score, but a well-timed time-out got the Wildcats back on track. They would finish the match on a Ryan Fitzgerald kill on the next point to win the match.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
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Emma Draper led the Wildcats with 16 kills on 36 swings. She hit .333 in the match. Draper also had a block assist.
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Ryan Fitzgerald had 11 kills, 19 digs, and two service aces for SUNY Poly.
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Michaela Bradshaw had a match-high 27 digs and a service ace.
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Sabrina Trimblett had 10 kills on 25 swings, a solo block, and a block assist.
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Sydney Pellman had six kills, a service ace, and 25 digs.
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Kaley Pichura had a season-high 44 assists, four kills, and a team-high four service aces.
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Eleanor Cepiel led the attack for the Pioneers with 12 kills on 39 swings.
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Krystel Pappas had 21 digs and a team-high four service aces for Utica.
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Utica's Brianna Woods had 11 kills.
MATCH TWO: Plattsburgh State
In the Wildcat's second match of the day, the team was overmatched by a strong Plattsburgh State team. Plattsburgh won in straight sets 25-16, 25-16, 25-15. The Cardinals hit .233 as a team and SUNY Poly hit -.045.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
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Emma Draper was the leading attacker for the Wildcats with eight kills. She also had a dig in the match.
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Kaley Pichura had a kill, 22 assists, nine digs, and a service ace.
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Ryan Fitzgerald had a team-high 10 digs and six kills.
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Megan O'Brien had a match-high seven kills for Plattsburgh. She also had a match-high five service aces.
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Plattsburgh's Payton Zophy had a match-high 11 digs, five kills, and two service aces.
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Alicia Fisher had four solo blocks and two block assists for the Cardinals.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will head to Union on September 7th to take on the Dutchwomen. The match is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.
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SUNY Poly is New York's globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience programs at its Albany campus, and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica campus; thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world's most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts billions of dollars in high-tech investments and hundreds of corporate partners since its inception. For information visit www.sunypoly.edu.