PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The No. 3 ranked Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team won their season opener, as well as the first State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) game in program history, defeating Oswego State 3-1. The teams were tied heading into the third period, but two goals from the Cards down the stretch allowed them to pick up the win.
 
The Plattsburgh State Cardinals are ranked third in the USCHO.com Division III Women's Ice Hockey Poll.
 
Julia Masotta (Tewksbury, Mass./Norwich) notched the game-winning goal with a third-period score at the 11:04 mark, giving Plattsburgh the lead. The season-opening goal was scored by first-year defender Adriana Urban (Monroe, N.J./Hoosac School), also her first career goal, and Mae Olshansky (Wilmette, Ill./North American Hockey Academy) added the game-sealer late in the third period. Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, Calif/Anaheim Lady Ducks) made 17 saves in goal to move to 1-0-0 on the season.
 
The Cardinals outshot the visiting Lakers 30-18 and went 1-5 on power play opportunities while holding Oswego scoreless in their four power play chances. 
 
Plattsburgh moves to 1-0 (1-0 SUNYAC) and will head to Buffalo State for their next game on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Oswego State falls to 2-1 (0-1 SUNYAC) and next play SUNY Canton in conference play on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m.
 
The Lakers were the first to move the scoreboard, scoring just over a minute into the game's action, as Mack Hull scored off assists from Simone Bednarik and Tessa Mucha.
 
Plattsburgh found the equalizer just over 10 minutes into the game, as Urban intercepted a pass around center ice, and skated up the middle of the rink in between a couple of Lakers before finishing off the play with a beautiful shot past the goaltender. 
 
The score remained tied over the next 40 minutes over three periods, with the second period going scoreless in between before Masotta was able to give the Cards the lead for good.
 
Plattsburgh was able to take the lead as Ciara Wall (Stoneham, Mass./University of New Hampshire) controlled possession behind the goalie line across the boards. The senior forward was then able to turn the corner around her defender, getting right in front of the goal before passing off to Masotta, who was streaking up the middle of the ice and finished for the score. Su-An Cho (Madison, Ala./Florida Alliance) also picked up an assist on the play. 
 
The Cardinals, now operating with a one-score lead, were able to settle in offensively. Working on the power play in with just over five minutes to go in the game, the Cards were relaxed working the puck around the horn. Masotta attempted a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle, and her shot was saved, but Wall was able to control the miss and pass off to the opposite side of the goal to Olshansky. With the goalie reacting to Wall, Olshanksy had the goal wide open in front of her, finishing short side for her first score of the year. 
 
 
The Cards held strong defensively, making it tough for the Lakers to possess and do any damage on offense, allowing them only 18 shots on goal. The trend continued over the final five minutes plus, as the Cards picked up their first win of the season.
 
Lexi Levy sustained her first loss of the season for Oswego, making 27 saves over 58 minutes of action.