Box Score ALBANY, N.Y. – Heading into the offseason at the end of the 2011-12 campaign, Plattsburgh State head women's basketball coach Cheryl Cole made two things big priorities before the 2012-13 season began. First of all, the Cardinals needed to do a better job controlling the boards. Secondly, her squad had to develop a more potent inside game by any means necessary.

Those particular offseason missions, it seemed, were accomplished for at least one game as the Cardinals made use of a 57-44 rebounding edge as well as a career-high 19 points from senior forward Dana Nucaro to strike down Sage Colleges 58-42 in the 2012-13 opener for both teams at the Kahl Center in Albany, N.Y., on Thursday (Nov. 15).

Returning to the hardwood for the first time this season, both squads had a devil of a time kick-starting their respective offensive systems in the opening minutes of the non-conference skirmish. After nearly 2:40 of scoreless basketball, senior guard Catherine Cassidy found reigning SUNYAC First-Teamer Kathleen Payne   under the basket who converted her layup attempt to give the Cardinals a lead they would hold for the remainder of the confrontation.

After Nucaro poured in her first trio of points by way of a layup and the subsequent swish at the charity stripe at the 16:24 mark of the first stanza, the Cardinals held a 5-2 lead and let their revamped defensive system take over from there.

Maintaining an unrelenting assault on the glass, the Cardinals were only too happy to corral some 30 rebounds in the first 20 minutes of action.

Eleven of the available 15 Cardinals on the 2012-13 squadron were mobilized in the first half, and none seemed interested in making things easy for the Gators from the field. Plattsburgh State swatted aside five opposing shots in the first half, and turned the floor of the Kahl Center into an icebox for the Gators, who shot just 5-of-35 through the course of the first 20 minutes.

Armed with a four-point advantage at the 7:23 mark of the first half, sophomore Jalen Hart took it upon herself to give the Cardinals another powerful option in the painted area, tallying her first points of the game with a layup before her blocked shot on the other end of the court led to another easy bucket off her hand thanks to a nifty assist from Jade Pellerin.

Sophomore Brittany Marshall sunk the sole Plattsburgh State triple of the half to close out the scoring in the first half with 2:44 remaining, and sent the Cardinals to the halftime strategy session with a 20-14 advantage.

A more offensive-minded group of Cardinals came out like gangbusters from the halftime break, using a devastating 13-1 run over the course of the first 5:19 to take control of the game for good. Cassidy found Nucaro wide open on the perimeter at the 13:09 mark, and the Valhalla, N.Y., product drained the third downtown bucket of her career before the Cassidy-Nucaro connection translated into points on the next trip down the floor – giving the Cardinals their largest lead of the game at 41-18 after Nucaro’s jumper.

The Gators, though, stopped the Cardinals’ machinations for a runaway victory by going on a 16-3 run that cut a 23-points lead all the way down to just 10. It was Payne who stopped the bleeding for good, as her jumper at the 6:47 mark of the deciding stanza righted the Plattsburgh State ship, allowing the Cardinals to cruise to victory.

The Cardinals kept up their strong defensive showing throughout the remainder of the tilt, allowing Sage to make good on just 22.7 percent (15-of-66) of their field goals. Plattsburgh State was especially stingy in its defense from beyond the arc, limiting the home squad to juts 4-of-23 shooting from that particular distance.

Six players combined for eight blocked shots by the Cardinals, including a team-high two by Payne and freshman Devona Paul. Payne chipped in 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting while Marshall added 11 on a 4-of-11 performance from the field.

Nucaro, Cassidy and Brooke Reifinger each tied for team-high honors in the rebounding department as each player came down with nine boards in the bout. Reifinger produced a fine all-around game posting eight points, an assist, a blocked shot and a pair of steals for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals were unafraid of contact on the block as well, making 24 total journeys to the charity stripe and coming away with 14 points from that distance.

Erica Houle led the way for Sage with a team-high 18 points while Amie Jefferson recorded a double-double consisting of 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Cardinals will enjoy a 10-day hiatus before making their 2012-13 Memorial Hall debut on Sunday, November 25 as they plan to tangle with the Middlebury Panthers at 2 p.m.