Potsdam State's Ashley Shiu (13) with the spike to the middle past the block attempt of Hartwick's Markella O'Neill (24). PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The second match of opening day at the 2026 Cardinal Classic featured another SUNYAC versus Empire 8 showdown as the SUNY Potsdam Bears faced the Hartwick Hawks before 150 fans at Memorial Hall. The Hawks controlled the match from the outset, earning a convincing straight-set victory to open their season. Hartwick wasted little time establishing control in the first set, jumping out to a 5-2 advantage and never looking back. The Hawks maintained steady pressure throughout the frame and cruised to a 25-15 victory, taking an early 1-0 lead in the match. The second set followed a similar script as Hartwick raced out to a 4-0 advantage. Potsdam battled through the middle of the set and put together a strong five-point run late to make things interesting, but the Hawks stayed in control and secured a 25-21 win to move within one set of the match. Looking to close out the contest in straight sets, Hartwick delivered its most dominant performance of the evening in the third. The Hawks surged to a commanding 9-1 lead and never allowed the Bears back into contention. Hartwick maintained its advantage throughout the set before finishing off a 25-16 victory to complete the sweep. Lucille Walker led the way for the Hawks with 11 points, helping Hartwick begin the 2026 season with a 1-0 record. The victory also sets up a possible marquee matchup on Saturday against fellow opening-day winner Russell Sage, with early tournament bragging rights potentially on the line. For SUNY Potsdam, Ashlee Hagerman paced the offense with six points. The Bears fell to 1-2 on the season but will have an opportunity to bounce back during Day 2 action of the Cardinal Classic. Match Results Hartwick 3, SUNY Potsdam 0 Set 1: Hartwick 25, Potsdam 15 Set 2: Hartwick 25, Potsdam 21 Set 3: Hartwick 25, Potsdam 16 With opening-night action complete, both Russell Sage and Hartwick sit atop the tournament standings after straight-set victories, setting the stage for an intriguing second day of competition at the 2026 Cardinal Classic. Gallery

Hartwick's Thylia Keoviengsamay (17) with the set for the upcoming kill by the Hawks. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Iris Mulvey (10) and Augustina White (9) raise up for the double block on Potsdam State's Sarah Ruffos (9) in the straight-set win. PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The final match of the 2026 Cardinal Classic featured a SUNYAC rivalry as the host Plattsburgh State Cardinals welcomed the Potsdam State Bears to Memorial Hall for a non-conference contest. With 270 passionate fans in attendance, the Cardinals entered the match looking to secure a share of first place in the tournament standings. From the opening serve, Plattsburgh State showed it was determined to finish the weekend on a high note. The Cardinals dominated the first set, overwhelming the Bears with strong serving and consistent offense in a decisive 25-9 victory. Potsdam put together a stronger effort in the second set, but Plattsburgh continued to dictate the pace of the match. The Cardinals remained in control throughout and pulled away for a 25-15 win, taking a commanding 2-0 lead into the intermission. Facing the possibility of a sweep, the Bears battled hard in the third set and made the Cardinals work for every point. Potsdam stayed within striking distance late in the frame, but Plattsburgh proved too strong down the stretch. The Cardinals closed out the set 25-22 to complete the three-set sweep and secure the 3-0 victory. The win improved Plattsburgh State to 2-1 on the weekend and created a three-way tie for first place in the final Cardinal Classic standings alongside Russell Sage and Hartwick. After dropping their tournament opener, the Cardinals responded with consecutive victories on the final day to earn a share of the title on their home court. For Potsdam State, the loss capped a difficult weekend. The Bears finished the tournament with a 0-3 record and fell to 1-4 overall on the season. With the victory, the Cardinals closed out the 2026 Cardinal Classic in impressive fashion, celebrating a tournament championship share in front of an enthusiastic Memorial Hall crowd. Gallery

Potsdam State's Isabella Miller (6) with the hard serve for the Bears' ace. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Gabriel Filion (22) scored the goal that stuffs in the net for the 2-0 lead. It would be the second game of the weekend, with a pair of North Country foes, as the Plattsburgh State Cardinals would host the Potsdam State Bears at the Ronald B. Stafford Arena in front of 1,445 fans. The Cardinals would strike quickly, just 2:02 into the game, on Jake Sacratini's goal for a 1-0 lead. The game would sgo untilthe 1:25 mark of the second period, when the Cardinals would strike again, this time on the ppower play, for the Gabriel Filion goal and make it 2-0 The Cardinals would strike for their second powerplay goal of the period, this time from Vladislav Pshenichikov at the 9:13 mar,k and make it 3-0 Cardinal The Bears would finally answer back at the 6:30 mark of the third period on the Owen Watson goal to make it 3-1. From there, the Cardinals' defense would stand tall,l and they would get the 3-1 victor. Brady Spry would make 37 saves as they go to 8-8 on the season. As for the Bears, Lenny Perno would make 51 saves as they fall to 7-9 on the season. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's Lonan Bulger (13) and Potsdam State's Jeremy Quesnel (12) battle for the puck along the bluelineGallery