ELMIRA, N.Y. – After two weeks off the Plattsburgh State women's hockey team will be back in action on Saturday, March 7 against Oswego State at 7 p.m. in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) West semifinals.
The Cardinals finished 16-2-0 in the conference which was good enough for the No. 2 seed earning them a first round bye to Saturday's game.
Oswego State finished 12-5-1 in the ECACW, claiming the third seed. The Lakers hosted No. 6 seed SUNY Cortland in the quarterfinals defeating the Red Dragons by the score of 2-1. Rachel Lenard tallied both goals for the Lakers while Bridget Smith made 28 saves on 29 shots.
This year the Cardinals and Lakers meet twice in the regular season back in late January, both games were played on Plattsburgh's home rink. Plattsburgh State swept the Lakers taking the weekend doubleheader by the scores of 4-0 and 5-1.
In the first game Melissa Ames and Giovanna Senese both registered goals in the first period before freshman Kayla Meneghin scored two of her own in the third period on route to a 4-0 win. Camille Leonard finished the game with a 20 save shutout.
The second game was more of the same as Plattsburgh State triumphed again by a four goal margin, 5-1. Five different Cardinals would score in the contest and Leonard would only allow one goal on 13 shots.
Leonard will look to remain sharp against the Lakers as she is 2-0-0 with a .970 save percentage and a shutout.
Offensively, Meneghin has a team-high four points against Oswego State this year on two goals and two assists while Senese has three points on a pair of goals and an assist. Three other Cardinals picked up a pair of points in the first two meetings between the schools.
In her career, Shannon Stewart has had success against Oswego State, scoring six goals and three assists in nine games including a game two years ago where the Pickering, Ontario, native lit the lamp four times.
Even with the success the Cardinals have found this year against Oswego State they still will have tough test against Lakers goaltender Bridget Smith. Smith leads all of Division III in save percentage at .948 and second in shutouts with six as she was announced to the ECAC West All-Conference First team.
One thing that bodes well for Plattsburgh State is history is on its side. The Cardinals have never lost to Oswego State going a perfect 20-0-0 since the two schools started playing each other in 2007.
The winner of Saturday night's game will play the winner of Elmira and Utica on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Elmira for the ECAC West Championship.
