Plattsburgh's Charlotte Castine (7) with the dig on the ball to keep the point alive. PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The Plattsburgh Hornets remained unbeaten on the season Thursday night, rallying from an early setback to earn a 3-1 victory over the Ausable Valley Patriots in Champlain Valley Athletic Conference girls volleyball action. The Patriots entered the match at 1-2 and were determined to hand the Hornets their first loss of the season. Ausable Valley came out strong in a tightly contested opening set that featured several lead changes. Late in the set, the Patriots appeared to take control, building a 23-18 advantage. Plattsburgh refused to go away, however, mounting a comeback to tie the score and force extra points. Despite the Hornets' rally, the Patriots held on for a dramatic 27-25 victory and took a 1-0 lead in the match. After dropping the opening set, Plattsburgh responded convincingly. The Hornets came out energized in the second set and quickly established control behind strong serving and consistent play on both sides of the net. Plattsburgh cruised to a 25-14 victory to even the match at one set apiece. The Hornets kept the momentum in the third set. Ausable Valley struggled to slow down the Plattsburgh attack as the Hornets dominated from start to finish, pulling away for a commanding 25-10 win and a 2-1 lead in the match. Facing elimination, the Patriots looked to extend the contest in the fourth set, but the Hornets continued their strong play. Plattsburgh maintained the pressure throughout the set and closed out the match with a 25-15 victory, securing the 3-1 win in just over 90 minutes. With the victory, Plattsburgh improved to 4-0 on the season and will return to the court on Sept. 22 against the Northern Adirondack Bobcats. Ausable Valley dropped to 2-2 and will travel to Saranac on Sept. 21, looking to move back above .500. Gallery

Ausable Valley's (15) with the save on the bump for the Patriots' point.Gallery

Lake Placid's Ellie Shipman (4) with the set at the net to get the oncoming kill ready. PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh Hornets opened their home schedule in impressive fashion, defeating Champlain Valley Athletic Conference rival Lake Placid 3-1 in a hard-fought volleyball match. The Blue Bombers came out determined to pull off the upset, jumping out to an early five-point lead in the opening set. Plattsburgh responded by steadily chipping away at the deficit before rallying late to claim a narrow 25-23 victory and take a 1-0 lead in the match. Lake Placid answered in the second set. Although the Hornets got off to another strong start, the Blue Bombers stayed within striking distance and eventually took control down the stretch. Their effort paid off with a 25-20 win, evening the match at one set apiece. The momentum shifted back to Plattsburgh in the third set. The Hornets stormed out to a 7-0 lead and never looked back. Lake Placid battled to stay in the set, but Plattsburgh maintained its advantage and secured a 25-17 victory to move ahead 2-1 and put itself one set away from the win. In the fourth set, the Hornets wasted little time taking command. Plattsburgh raced out to a 7-1 advantage and controlled play the rest of the way. The Blue Bombers attempted to mount a comeback, but the Hornets held firm and closed out the match to earn the 3-1 victory. With the win, Plattsburgh improved to 2-0 early in the season, while Lake Placid dropped to 0-3. The Hornets will look to build on their strong start as they continue CVAC play, while the Blue Bombers will search for their first victory of the season. Gallery

Plattsburgh's Azah Marsh drops to knee to bump the return sent by the Blue Bombers to get the play started. Gallery

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

Russell Sage's Cassidy Weiher (12) with the spike just around the pole for the score. PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The final match of the Cardinal Classic featured a pair of Empire 8 Conference rivals as the Hartwick Hawks and Russell Sage Gators met in a non-conference showdown at Memorial Hall before a crowd of 250 spectators. Entering the match, Russell Sage was looking to complete an undefeated weekend and secure the tournament championship, while Hartwick sought to finish the event on a winning note. The Gators came out firing in the opening set, jumping out to a commanding 9-1 lead and appearing poised to take early control. Hartwick quickly regrouped and mounted an impressive comeback, erasing the deficit and pulling away late for a 25-23 victory to grab a 1-0 lead in the match. Russell Sage responded in the second set, once again getting off to a strong start. The Hawks battled back and kept the set close throughout, but the Gators held firm in extra points to earn a 26-24 victory and even the match at one set apiece. With the match tied, Hartwick turned in its strongest performance of the afternoon in the third set. The Hawks controlled play from the opening serve and cruised to a 25-18 win, taking a 2-1 lead and moving one set away from victory. The fourth set proved to be another tightly contested affair as Russell Sage refused to go quietly. The Gators pushed Hartwick throughout the set, but the Hawks made the key plays down the stretch and secured a 25-23 victory to close out the match and claim the 3-1 win. Hartwick finished the weekend with a 2-1 record, while Russell Sage also concluded tournament play at 2-1, falling short of its bid for an undefeated weekend and the tournament title. Lucille Walker delivered a dominant performance for the Hawks, pacing the offense with 28 points. Russell Sage was led by Paige Kemmer, who finished with 15 points in the defeat. The victory allowed Hartwick to end the Cardinal Classic on a high note, as the Hawks overcame an early deficit and used strong play over the final three sets to earn a hard-fought victory over their Empire 8 counterpart. Gallery

Hartwick's Lucille Walker (16) and Thylia Keoviengsamay (17) with the double block on Russell Sage's Mia Merino (24) to keep them off the scoreboard. Gallery