SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's volleyball team had a pair of vastly different matches on Friday, but both resulted in victories as the Dutchwomen swept Plattsburgh State University and then outlasted Wentworth Institute of Technology in a five-set thriller on day one of the Union Tournament at Viniar Athletic Center.
 
It was a total team effort to pull out the two victories on Friday, with four Dutchwomen finishing with 20 or more kills on the day. Sophomore Katie Moss hit .405 with 20 kills and a team-best four blocks, while classmate Steph Libonati put down 21 kills on .395 hitting. Sophomores Gillian Gore and Lara Atalay both finished with 21 kills and 21 digs apiece as well.
 
Defensively, sophomore Kaylee Velasquez recorded a team-best 41 digs in eight sets, while fellow sophomore Sage Shimamoto added a team-leading 78 assists.
 
Union 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-15)
 
Union started its day with an efficient 3-0 victory over Plattsburgh State, hitting .345 as a team with 39 kills on 84 attacks. Gore led the Dutchwomen with a team-best 10 kills on .444 hitting, followed by Libonati with nine kills. Velasquez dug out a match-high 16 balls for Union, while Shimamoto recorded a match-best 28 assists.
 
Two aces by Atalay helped Union jump out to an early 5-0 lead in the opening set and the home team never looked back. Plattsburgh got within eight at 19-11 late in the frame, but Union closed on a 6-1 run to take the set.
 
The second stanza was the most competitive, but Union still never trailed in taking a 2-0 lead. The Dutchwomen hit .480 with 15 kills on 25 attacks in the set, led by Libonati with six kills on seven attempts (.714) and Shimamoto, who assisted on all 15 kills.
 
Union jumped out to a 6-2 lead at the start of the third set and never allowed the Cardinals closer than two points the rest of the way. Atalay, Gore and Moss had three kills each to lead the Dutchwomen in the final frame.
 
Union 3, Wentworth Institute of Technology 2 (25-22, 22-25, 25-19, 15-25, 15-11)
 
Moss led four Union players in double figures with a career-high 15 kills in the second match of the day, as the Dutchwomen outlasted the Leopards in a five-set classic.
 
Moss hit .400 on the way to her career-high kill total to go with two blocks. Atalay (13 kills, 14 digs) and Gore (11 kills, 18 digs) both had double-doubles as well for the home team, while Libonati put down 12 kills. Shimamoto chipped in with 50 assists, the third-highest total of her career.
 
The opening set was arguably the most competitive, featuring nine ties and four lead changes. Wentworth held an 18-16 lead before a run of five straight points on the serve of senior Emma Sprotbery, including four kills by Moss that turned the tide and gave Union a 22-18 lead it would not relinquish.
 
The fifth and final set also featured plenty of action, with seven ties and a trio of lead changes. Wentworth grabbed an early 7-4 lead but two WIT errors and a Sprotbery ace knotted the score at seven. With the stanza tied at 10, Union then closed with a 5-1 run, including two kills by Atalay, a Shimamoto ace and a Gore kill that ended the match.
 
Union will be back on the court for two more matches tomorrow, as the Dutchwomen complete play at the Union Tournament against Wells College and the College of Mount St. Vincent tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m. at the Viniar Athletic Center.