PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Fourth-seeded Plattsburgh State women's soccer used a first-half goal from sophomore forward Kirsten Villemaire (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) and a strong defensive effort to defeat fifth-seeded SUNY Potsdam 1-0 in a State University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament first-round match on Saturday Nov. 2, at the Field House Complex.
 
With the victory, Plattsburgh State (10-7-1) advances to face top-seeded SUNY Geneseo in a rematch of last year's SUNYAC Tournament semifinal match at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, in Geneseo, N.Y. 

With the loss, Potsdam (8-9-1) is eliminated from the SUNYAC Tournament.
 
After the match began with much of the play in the midfield, Plattsburgh State made a scoring chance count as Villemaire would score the only goal of the contest in the 21st minute. Freshman goalkeeper Julia Ennis (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) (9-7-1) played a goal kick to midfield where it was headed forward into the Cardinals' offensive side of the pitch by senior midfielder Rachael Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y/Arlington). A Potsdam defender attempted to head the ball back toward midfield, but it went behind the defender and to the top of the 18-yard box. After beating a Potsdam defender to the ball, Villemaire dribbled into the 18-yard box and finished into the lower-right corner of the net for her team-leading 10th goal of the season. Villemaire also leads the team with four game-winning goals in 2019.  
 
The Plattsburgh State defense did the rest as the Cardinals held SUNY Potsdam off of the scoreboard to record the 1-0 shut-out victory. Plattsburgh State, which had 21 shots on the afternoon, limited Potsdam to five shots in the match, including one shot in the second half. The Cardinals held the Bears to one shot on goal in the game.      
 
Ennis made one save in the match for Plattsburgh State to tally her fourth shutout of the season. Delphine Léonard (5-5-1) stopped six shots in goal for Potsdam.
 
Plattsburgh State held a 14-2 edge in corner kicks in the match.