PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's hockey team welcomed Utica to the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena defeating the Pioneers 5-0 in the first game of the weekend double header.
After collecting the Fan Favorite award before the game, senior forward Shannon Stewart would find the back of the net on a rebound from a Bridget Balisy shot just a mere 21 seconds into the game. That goal would be the first of four for the opening period.
Caitlin Gilligan would skate towards the net from her left point firing a slap shot on net. Fellow junior Giovanna Sense would get credited with the goal on the deflection that sent the puck five-hole on Pioneers goalie Marissa McNamara.
The next three goals would all be on the power play as Freshman Kayla Meneghin scored two of them along with Melissa Ames.
Meneghin's first goal would make it 3-0 when she collected a rebound off an initial shot from defenseman Andrea Ziesmann. The freshman would get the puck on the left of the crease before lifting one top shelf over McNamara.
The fourth goal by Ames would come on a scrum in front of the net that the sophomore was able to get a stick on and poke it through the legs of McNamara.
The Cardinals would only score one more time in the last forty minutes which came from Meneghin in the second period. It was beautiful tic-tac-toe passing to setup the goal as Ziesmann sent the puck down across ice to Jordon Lipson on the right goal line before Lipson sent it back across ice to Meneghin on the left side who would bury the puck to make 5-0.
Plattsburgh State goaltender Camille Leonard was not tested much of the evening only making 10 saves in the game as Utica didn't register a shot on goal in the entire first period. It was Leonard's sixth shutout of the season.
McNamara started off shaky giving up four goals in the first 13:22 of the game before only allowing one goal the rest of the way. She finished the game with 41 saves on 46 shots.
Plattsburgh State (18-2-2, 14-2-0 ECACW) while battle Utica (9-9-4, 6-6-3 ECACW) again Sunday in the last regular season home for the Cardinals at 3 p.m.
