PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State women's soccer team played well in a tightly contested match with the visiting Engineers of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Saturday, tying RPI 2-2 in non-conference action. Avery Durgan (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) continued to be a catalyst for the offense, assisting on the team's first goal, and scoring later in the game. 

Durgan turned in her third game with a goal and an assist as she has already surpassed her point tally from last year (seven) with nine total so far in 2023. Nora Fitzgerald (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) scored her second goal of the season to open the game's scoring, as she continues to play well at the start of the 2023 season. Lauren Haley (LaGrange, N.Y./Arlington) picked up the tie in goal for Plattsburgh, as she made three saves, moving to 2-1-1 on the season. For RPI, Haley Cole and Rachel Borra each scored, while Veronica Martinez de Pinillos and Brooke Miller had assists. Megan Wampner and Sierra Skelding split the game in goal, with Skelding being the goalie of record, picking up the tie. 

Plattsburgh moves to 2-1-1 on the year and will next travel to Skidmore on Wednesday, Sept. 13 before beginning conference play the following Wednesday. RPI moves to 1-0-2 on the year and will next play Castleton on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

The game began with the Engineers picking up some quick shots, testing Haley early in the game's action. Plattsburgh, on the other hand, didn't attempt their first shot of the game until the 10th minute when Fitzgerald notched the first goal of the game. Durgan found her senior counterpart running down towards the center of the box and sent a pass directly to Fitzgerald who settled the ball and with one touch finished into the right side of the net for the score. 

The 1-0 score held until halftime, after Fitzgerald had a similar chance to score in the 36th minute, but Wampner made an excellent play to stop the shot and keep the score at 1-0 Plattsburgh. At the half, shots were even at six and the Cards had the lone corner kick of the period. 

In the second, plenty of action occurred, beginning with a Borra goal and a Martinez de Pinillos assist to knot the score at one apiece in the 52nd minute. In the 66th minute, after a Fitzgerald shot on goal was saved for the second time in a ten-minute span, a handball was called in the box for a Cardinal penalty kick. The ensuing penalty kick was saved, however, by Skelding, once again keeping the score tied at one.

Plattsburgh came through to take the lead in the 75th minute after a throw-in was deflected towards the goalkeeper in the box. As the goalkeeper went to corral the loose ball, she was unable to secure it, allowing Durgan to kick the ball from right in front of the net into the goal for the score. 

As play continued, an excellent save from Haley in the 78th minute preceded the Engineers coming right back down in the 81st minute for a goal, as a strong pass from Miller found Cole for the equalizer. Over the final nine minutes, Plattsburgh was unable to attempt a shot, leaving the game in a 2-2 tie.

Overall, the team's evenness on the pitch was evident in the box score, with RPI attempting 13 shots to Plattsburgh's 11, and the Cards only had one more corner kick.