PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Opening their 2023 season at home, the Plattsburgh State women's soccer team enjoyed an offensive outburst, posting six goals to defeat the Vermont State University Castleton Spartans 6-0. Ella Santomassimo (Poughquag, N.Y./Arlington) led the scoring surge, as she registered her first two collegiate goals in the Cardinal win.

The Plattsburgh offense was outstanding over the entire 90 minutes, as they notched three goals in each half. The six goals also marked the most goals for the Cards since an 8-0 win over Canton in October of 2021. Along with Santomassimo, Avery Durgan (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown), Allison Brown (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial), Sophia Hatziyianis (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa), and Jillian Bezio (Keeseville, N.Y./AuSable Valley) each scored for Plattsburgh, with Durgan, Brown, and Hatziyianis all picking up assists. Nora Fitzgerald (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) had two assists as well in the win and Lauren Haley (LaGrange, N.Y./Arlington) earned the win in goal with the shutout and two saves.

With the victory, Plattsburgh starts their season 1-0 and Castleton falls to 0-1 with their first loss in 2023. The Cards next play when they travel to R.I.T. on Sunday, Sept. 3 to play the Tigers at 11 a.m.

It was clear early that the Cardinals would be in control of this one, as they were able to put a shot on goal within the first five minutes and controlled much of play early. Santomassimo got Cards on the board in the ninth minute with her first collegiate goal, courtesy of Brown. Brown intercepted a goalie punt just outside the Spartan box and controlled the kick before passing off to Santomassimo who was making her run to the goal. On the right side of the box and with the goalie just a bit out of position, the junior forward deposited the shot into the far side of the net, giving herself her first collegiate score. 

Plattsburgh State added to their lead not long after in the 18th minute, with Santomassimo taking a deep shot from outside the box off a pass from Hatziyianis, putting a high arcing ball just outside the reach of the Castleton keeper and clinching her first career brace. Just two minutes later, Fitzgerald intercepted an errant Spartan pass, spinning past her defender and leading Durgan toward the goal. With her defender on her right hip, Durgan took the shot with her left foot, finding the far corner of the net for her first goal of the season. 

At the half, Plattsburgh carried an 11-2 advantage on shots and a 5-2 advantage on corners over Castleton. Eventually, the Cardinals won the shot battle 21-7 and earned seven corners to the Spartans 4. 

Heading into the second half up three scores, the Cards did not let up their offensive attack. Around the 59th minute of action, Hatziyianis attempted a shot that was blocked and deflected off a Spartan defender. Unable to control the deflection, Brown was able to take the ball away from the Castleton defender in the box, moving to her left and scoring around a pair of Spartan defenders for her first career goal.

Hatziyianis later found the back of the net, scoring in the 66th minute off of Fitzgerald's second helper of the day. Working in the midfield, Fitzgerald stole yet another Castleton pass and gave a great pass through the defense to Hatziyianis who beat her defender to the ball and finished around the goalie for her first goal of the season. The final goal of the day for the Cards came in the 75th minute, as Durgan passed to Bezio from the top of the box as the sophomore came running down from midfield to put a line drive shot in the back of the net for what was her first career goal. 

Defensively, the experienced backline of seniors Casey Granger (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./Arlington), Kayla Myers (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Saranac), and Katie Stevenson (Mastic Beach, N.Y./William Floyd), along with sophomore Alexis Patrick (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), proved to be excellent for Plattsburgh, allowing just two shots on goal by the Spartans.