Plattsburgh, NY- The Sage Colleges' women's volleyball team opened the 2017 season on Friday with a pair of opening night matches in the first day of the 2017 Plattsburgh State Best Western-Ground Round Cardinal Classic. Opening night action saw the Gators under the leadership of a new head coach Robert Verhayden. He was named the program's 13th head coach this summer, assuming the reigns from Sandy Augstein-Collins, who was named Director of Athletics this summer.
Sage's trio of captains, senior Alyssa Nellis (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) and juniors Amelia Taylor (Fort Edward, NY/Fort Edward) and Brittany Orminski (Galway, NY/Galway) helped the team on opening day with their leadership and play.
Sage dropped a 3-0 decision to Potsdam in the opening match (25-17, 25-22, 25-14) and then fell at the hands of Wheaton College (MA), 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-16).
Sage dropped the first set to Potsdam, 25-17. After a slow start in the second set, the Gators tied the action at 9-9 as rookie Gabby Rowell (Morrisonville, NY/Beekmantown) added a kill and Nellis backed her up with an ace. The two teams exchanged points until the score was deadlocked at 13-13 before the Bears took an 18-13 lead in the second set and despite a late set rally, the Bears took set two, 25-22.
Sophomore Jessica Carrozzi (Warnerville, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville) led the team with her nine kills against the Bears, while adding six digs and an ace. Sophomore Miranda Nethaway (Fonda, NY/Fonda Fultonville Central) added four kills with three solo blocks in the match as well. Nellis tallied four kills with eight setting assists, seven digs with an ace. Rowell added three kills with four digs.
Against Wheaton, Nethaway and Nellis each had three kills, while Nellis contributed six setting assists with two digs and a pair of block assists. Orminski and Carrozzi added four and five digs, respectively for the Gators.
Now 0-2 on the season, Sage is back in action on Saturday in the final day of competition at Plattsburgh's tournament facing Plymouth State University on Saturday at 1 p.m. and the host Cardinals of Plattsburgh State University at 3p.m.
