CASTLETON, Vt. – For the second straight year the Plattsburgh State women's hockey team battled Castleton to a one-goal advantage, this year beating the Spartans 4-3.
The Cardinals came out flying, dominated the first period by outshooting the Spartans 15-2 as they took a 2-0 lead into the locker room.
Giovanna Senese scored Plattsburgh's opening goal 10:50 into the game as she came ou of a scrum in front of the net with the puck before sending it home.
Bridget Balisy would make it 2-0 Cardinals 16:49 into the first period when Jordan Lipson slid a pass to the junior across the ice that Balisy rifled into the goal.
The second period featured a different tale as the Spartans would fight back and eventually tie the game.
Twenty-three seconds after the opening puck drop of the period Spartans offensive leader, Taylor Steadman found the twine on a rebound off a Sam Pion wrist-shot. Cardinal goaltender Ally Ross was able to handle Pion's inital shot, pushing it aside but Steadman was "Johnny on the Spot" as she scored her sixth of the season.
However, Pion would score a goal of her own to tie the game up for Castleton 9:13 into the second as this time she would be the beneficiary of a rebound. Anna Daniels sent in a shot from the point that Ross was able to send aside but Pion's backhand would find the back of the net over the out-reached glove of Ross.
The Cardinals would recapture the lead though less than two minutes later when senior Shannon Stewart tipped Andrea Ziesmann's shot past Castleton goalie Jess Cameron to give the Cardinals 3-2 lead heading into the final frame.
Much like the second period Castleton struck first in the third period as Tori Pizzuto was on the receiving end of a Hannah Rose pass that found the senior forward right in front of the crease before directing the puck to the back of the net.
As each team went back and forth for the remainder of the period, just like in the second it was the Cardinals that answered when they struck pay-dirt with 49 seconds left in regulation.
Sophomore Melissa Ames answered the Cardinals prayers as she roofed one top-shelf to keep Plattsburgh unbeaten at 6-0-1.
Ally Ross finished the night with 14 saves with her counterpart Cameron making 41 in a losing effort.
With the loss Castleton falls to 5-2-0 and for the second-straight year fall by one goal to the Cardinals. Last year the Spartans traveled to the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena that saw Plattsburgh outshoot Castleton 53-16 but a great duo goaltending performance from Cameron and Paula Stephens kept it a 1-0 game.
Next up for Plattsburgh is an ECAC West contest against North Country rival Potsdam as the Bears come to the Stafford Ice Arena Tuesday, puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
