PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – A seven-goal second quarter helped lift the Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team to a 20-7, season-opening win over non-conference Castleton University on Wednesday afternoon at the Field House Complex.
 
It marked the most goals a Cardinal team has scored in a game since winning, 25-4, over Mount Saint Mary College back on March 21, 2015.
 
The Cardinals' calling card during the game was transition offense, going 21-for-21 on clear attempts. Furthermore, Plattsburgh State finished with a commanding 60-24 edge in shots. The Cardinals went 3-for-5 on extra-man opportunities, while the Spartans went 2-for-7.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 1-0 overall with the win and next hosts Skidmore College on Saturday, March 4, at 1 p.m. Castleton drops to 0-1 with the loss and next hosts Curry College on Tuesday, March 7, at 4 p.m.
 
Junior midfielder Billy Moller (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) opened scoring just 1:05 into the game before junior attackman Sam Siegel found the back of the net just more than a minute later to tie the game at 1-all. A pair of goals by senior attackman Ryan Callahan (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) less than a minute apart staked Plattsburgh State to a 3-1 lead, and sophomore attackman Jake Carroll (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) extended the gap to 4-1 with a marker of his own with 6:36 left in the first quarter. Castleton netted back-to-back goals before junior attackman Ryan Hubbard (Aquebogue, N.Y./Riverhead) scored with 2:55 remaining in the opening period to give Plattsburgh State a 5-3 lead that would carry through the end of the first quarter.
 
While the Spartans' sophomore midfielder Jason Sedell scored to open the second quarter, the Cardinals netted seven unanswered from that point forward in the period, with Hubbard accounting for three goals during that span, and entered halftime with a 12-4 advantage.
 
The two teams traded goals in a low-scoring third quarter, and Castleton inched closer with a 3-2 edge in scoring in the period. Sophomore defenseman Peyton Faasse buried a shot with seven seconds left in the period to draw the Spartans within 14-7 with 15 minutes left to play in the contest.
 
Six different Cardinals scored in the fourth quarter, and the Plattsburgh State defense held Castleton scoreless to punctuate the 20-7 victory.
 
Callahan played one of the best games of his career, posting a career-high seven points (four goals, three assists) for the game. Hubbard netted five goals to help key the attack, while Carroll and senior midfielder Austin Belz (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) each found the back of the net twice. Junior midfielder Brad Johnston (Altamont, N.Y./Guilderland), Miller, senior attackman Logan Lamothe (St. Albans, Vt./Bellows Free Academy), senior midfielder Mike Gay (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Connetquot), junior attackman EJ Suris (Kings Park, N.Y./Smithtown West), junior midfielder Sean Adler (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown) and sophomore attackman Ryan Ehli (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) also scored for Plattsburgh State. The Cardinals received a team-high five ground balls from junior face-off specialist Joe Eiseman (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East), who also went 10-for-13 in the face-off circle. Defensively, junior defenseman Sean Hayes (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) and junior defensive midfielder Nicco Narbutas (Holbrook, N.Y./Miller Place) each caused two turnovers.
 
Siegel and Sedell each led Castleton with two goals, while Faasse, senior midfielder Isaac Devoid and sophomore attackman Thomas Pardew also scored. Faasse finished with a game-high six ground balls and also posted two caused turnovers. Junior midfielder Josh Gosselin was 11-for-25 on face-offs.
 
Junior goalie Donald Tesoriero (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington) played the first half in goal for the Cardinals, making six saves and notching an assist on a fast-break, man-down goal scored by Callahan. Junior goalie Austin Graham (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) made six stops in the final 30 minutes of play for Plattsburgh State. For Castleton, sophomore goalie Brandon Myron made 14 saves.