PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - The Norwich University women's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Plattsburgh State on Tuesday evening at Memorial Hall Gymnasium, falling by set scores of 25-20, 25-8, and 25-16.
Isabella Vasapolli (Pepperell, Mass.) led the Cadets offensively with a team-high five kills while posting an efficient .400 hitting percentage. Grace Davie (Lynnfield, Mass.) and Taylor "Rae" Lawing (Allen, Texas) each added three kills, while Ainslee Vargas (Rusk, Texas) directed the attack with eight assists, adding a service ace and five digs.
Defensively, Kelsey Slane (West Sand Lake, N.Y.) paced Norwich with eight digs. Vargas contributed five digs, while Aylei Connolly (Westfield, Mass.) recorded four digs and the Cadets' lone block of the match.
Norwich battled closely with the Cardinals through much of the opening set. A service ace from Lawing helped the Cadets claim an early 3-1 advantage before kills from Connolly and Davie kept Norwich within striking distance.
The Cadets continued to hang around deep into the frame, pulling within 21-18 after a Connolly kill and a Plattsburgh State attack error. The Cardinals answered down the stretch, however, closing the set on a 4-2 run to secure the 25-20 victory.
In the second set, Vasapolli delivered a pair of kills while Connolly added a solo block as Norwich attempted to keep pace. Plattsburgh State used a sustained scoring run and strong serving pressure to build separation, finishing the frame with 12 kills and five service aces en route to a 25-8 win and a two-set lead.
The Cadets responded with a stronger offensive showing in the third set. After Plattsburgh State opened an early advantage, Vargas and Vasapolli supplied kills before Josephine Whitney (Monroe, N.H.) added a finish of her own to keep Norwich battling.
Trailing 19-9 later in the frame, the Cadets put together three consecutive points behind a pair of Cardinal attack errors and a Vargas service ace. Vasapolli added another kill down the stretch, but Plattsburgh State held off the push to complete the sweep with a 25-16 third-set victory.
Norwich totaled 15 kills, 12 assists, two service aces, one block, and 24 digs in the contest. Vasapolli was particularly efficient offensively, committing just one attack error across 10 attempts.
Plattsburgh State finished with 37 kills and a .282 hitting percentage while collecting 10 service aces and six team blocks.
The Cadets return home on Saturday, Sept. 19, welcoming defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champion Lasell University to Andrews Hall.
