FREDONIA, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State women's soccer began State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play with a 3-3 double-overtime draw against Fredonia on Friday at University Stadium.
 
Plattsburgh State (4-2-1, 0-0-1 SUNYAC) scored the only goal of the first half to take a 1-0 lead over Fredonia (3-4-1, 0-0-1 SUNYAC) into halftime. In the fifth minute of play, sophomore forward Kirsten Villemaire (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season. The reigning PrestoSports SUNYAC Offensive Athlete of the Week, Villemaire shot the ball towards the net from near the left sideline. Fredonia's goalkeeper was unable to punch the ball away and it found the net.
 
After halftime, junior midfielder Abigail Seamans (Bolton Landing, N.Y./Bolton Central) scored her first goal of the season to increase the Cardinal lead to 2-0 in the 59th minute. Senior forward Katie Matott (Rouses Point, N.Y./Northeastern Clinton), who assisted on the play, got behind the Fredonia defense with the ball. Fredonia's goalkeeper came out and dove to challenge Matott, briefly knocking the ball away. The ball rolled towards the goal line, but Matott got to it before it could go out of play to the left side of the net. As the goalkeeper scrambled to get back into position, Matott played a cross in front of the net and Seamans scored with a header.
 
Fredonia would get on the scoreboard in the 65th minute to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Cardinals. The Blue Devils forced a turnover on their defensive side of the field and then quickly played the ball up field with a series of passes. Lauren Cullinan ran onto a through ball in the right side of the 18-yard box and made a pass across into the six-yard box, where Sophia Alesi kicked the ball off of Plattsburgh State's goalkeeper and into the net. Gabby Alston picked up the secondary assist on the play.      
 
However, sophomore forward Allison Seidman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) would respond for Plattsburgh State – scoring her first goal of the season to make the score 3-1 in the 66th minute. Villemaire dribbled to the left side of the six-yard box from midfield. Villemaire passed the ball to Matott just inside the top of the six-yard box. Matott, playing with her back to the goal, turned to her left and fired a shot that deflected off of the goalkeeper. The ball popped into the air and Seidman headed it into the left side of the net.
 
Fredonia would score the final two goals of regulation to tie the match at 3-3 and force overtime. After a Blue Devil forced a turnover on the Cardinals' side of midfield, the ball went forward to Cullinan, who took a long shot that arced over the outstretched arms of the Cardinals' leaping goalkeeper to make the score 3-2 in the 80th minute. With under 10 seconds remaining in regulation, Melanie Minotti scored in the 90th minute to tie the match at 3-3 and force overtime. Alston forced a turnover on the Cardinals' defensive side of the field and played the ball ahead to Minotti, who launched a shot from about 30-yards out that found the back of the net.
 
In the ensuing overtime periods, neither team scored as the match ended in a 3-3 double-overtime draw.        
 
Freshman goalkeeper Julia Ennis (Carmel, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) (4-2-1) made two saves for Plattsburgh State. Sabrina Suriani started in goal for the Blue Devils, allowing all three goals and making five saves in 72:42. Abbey Monahan (1-1-1) made five saves, playing 37:18 in relief of Suriani.
 
Plattsburgh State held a 24-9 edge in shots, including a 13-5 advantage in shots on goal, in the match.
 
Each team had three corner kicks on the day.
 
Plattsburgh State continues SUNYAC play against Buffalo State at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Coyer Field in Buffalo, N.Y. Fredonia hosts Potsdam for a conference match tomorrow at 1 p.m.