ALBANY, N.Y. – Senior midfielder Lindsay Guzzetta (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) scored a career-high five goals, as the Plattsburgh State women's lacrosse team opened up the 2023 season with a 14-11 non-conference win over Russell Sage College on Sunday afternoon at the ACHPS Athletic Field.
 
The Cardinals held a 22-21 edge in shots and a 23-20 advantage in ground balls, while the Gators owned a 15-14 cushion in draw controls. Plattsburgh State was 10-for-25 on clears, while Russell Sage went 13-for-19.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 1-0 overall with the win and next visits Norwich University on Wednesday, March 1, at 3 p.m. Russell Sage falls to 0-1 overall with the loss and next hosts SUNY Poly on Wednesday, March 8, at 5:30 p.m.
 
First-year attacker Cynthia Barnosky (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) scored her first collegiate goal to open scoring 1:16 into the game, while Guzzetta cashed in on a pass from senior midfielder Caroline Noia (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) 29 seconds later. First-year attacker Erica Dickinson (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) fired in her first collegiate marker 30 seconds after Guzzetta's goal to make it a 3-0 game, while sophomore defender/midfielder Rachel LaMar (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Shenendehowa) found the back of the cage just over a minute later.
 
Noia and Guzzetta each scored to push the lead out to 6-0, with Guzzetta's goal being assisted by Barnosky, but Russell Sage received two straight goals from junior midfielder Marissa Key to cut the gap to 6-2. Dickinson scored with one second left in the first quarter to hand Plattsburgh State a 7-2 lead through 15 minute of play.
 
The Gators scored twice in the early stages of the second quarter, with junior attacker Grace Hines scoring on a pass from junior midfielder Ashley Hearn and senior midfielder Caroline Musinski tallying unassisted with 12:47 left in the second quarter. Dickinson and Guzzetta each scored to swell the lead to 9-4, while Hines put a shot in the back of the cage for Russell Sage with 9:31 remaining in the second to cut the gap to four. Noia's goal with 8:04 left in the second quarter provided the halftime score of 10-5.
 
After Hines scored 5:29 into the third quarter for the Gators, Noia and senior attacker Kate Kennedy (Waddington, N.Y./Massena) each tallied, with sophomore attacker Maddy Garcia (New Paltz, N.Y./New Paltz) earning an assist on Kennedy's goal. Guzzetta scored before senior attacker Samantha Shafer tallied for the Gators with 31 seconds left in the third quarter, and the Cardinals took a 13-6 lead into the fourth.
 
Russell Sage tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter, as the Gators scored four straight goals after a marker from Guzzetta that was assisted by senior midfielder Emma McLaughlin (Northport, N.Y./Northport). Hines and junior attacker Alexandra Queeney each scored with 12:51 and 11:32 left in the fourth quarter, respectively, while Hearn and Musinski each tallied woman-up midway through the frame to close out scoring.
 
Beyond Guzzetta, Noia recorded four points on three goals and an assist, while Dickinson netted three goals. McLaughlin scooped up six ground balls, while first-year defender Lillian Gilroy (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy) caused four turnovers in her collegiate debut. Noia, Guzzetta and sophomore midfielder Caitlin Nash (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) each controlled four draws.
 
For Russell Sage, Hines scored four goals, while Musinski and Key each scored twice. Queeney was dominant on the draw with eight draw controls, while Hearn led the Gators' defensive efforts with five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
 
Junior goalie Johanna Malone (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) made five saves in the win for the Cardinals, while sophomore goalie Madalyn Walsh turned aside three shots in the loss for the Gators.