PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Despite trailing early in the game, the Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team scored six straight goals in the second, giving them the lead which they held for the rest of the game.  The Gators made it close in the end as they trailed by one with a little over five minutes to play before senior attacker John Eiseman (Farmingville, N.Y. / Sachem East) scored his third goal of the game on an extra man-up opportunity leading to a 13-11 victory over Russell Sage in non-conference action. Eiseman led the team in goals with three.

Junior attacker Donald Woods (Rocky Point, N.Y. / Rocky Point) led the Cardinals in points with four total coming from two goals and assists. Sophomore midfielder Tim Keenan (Poughquag, N.Y. / Arlington) had three points on the day with two assists and one goal. First-year midfielder Jamie Gipe (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker), defender Fynn Whitlock (Middlebury, Vt. / Middlebury Union), and defender Matt Nystrom (Glen Cove, N.Y. / Glen Cove) all scored their first collegiate goals for their careers while Gipe also picked up an assist. Kyle Ruland (Medford, N.Y. / Patchogue-Medford) led both teams in ground balls with eight while Jab Duval Lapaix (Bronx, N.Y. / Cardinal Hayes) led both teams in faceoff wins with 11.

For the Gators, Nate Kettle led the team in goals with a game-high five goals. Gators also got contributions from Shea Obado who scored two goals and Jake McElwee who had three assists.

The Gators won the shot battle 48-32 but only 26 of the shots were on goal while the Cardinals had 18 shots on goal. The Gators had a slight edge in ground balls 36-34 but the Cardinals won the faceoff battle 16-12. Both teams were efficient on clears as the Cardinals went 22-28 and the Gators 20-23. When it came to extra man-up opportunities both teams missed opportunities but also cashed in as the Cardinals went 2-6 and the Gators only 1-7.

Plattsburgh rises to 3-1 with the win and next travels to Plymouth State on Saturday, March 12 at 12 pm. Russell Sage falls to 0-5 and next travels to WestConn on Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 pm.

The Gators got the scoring started with two unassisted goals within 30 seconds of each other coming from McElwee and Anthony Marrone. The Cardinals struck back with a goal at the 10:14 mark from Nystrom that was assisted by Whitlock and another goal from Cam Morin (Raynham, Mass. / Bridgewater-Raynham) at the 4:30 mark that locked the score at 2 all. The Gators didn't waste time and responded 20 seconds later and took a 3-2 lead into the second quarter.

It was the Gators again as they opened the second with a goal from Obado. The Cardinals went on a tear and responded with a six-goal run with goals coming from Gipe, Keenan, Ely Bruhns (Clifton Park, N.Y. / Shenendehowa), Woods, Whitlock, and Eiseman with the first goal being unassisted and the following goals being assisted by Woods back-to-back, Keenan, another unassisted goal, and Bruhns. Obado ended the Cardinals' run at the 4:48 mark off a pass from Ryan Hanna and made the score 8-5 Cardinals. Woods scored the last goal of the quarter with less than a minute remaining as the Cardinals went into halftime up 9-5.

The third period saw the Gators one-up the Cardinals on goals, scoring three to the Cardinals' two. Gators took advantage of an extra man-up opportunity as Kettle opened the scoring in the third on an unassisted goal at the 12:52 mark. Nearly two minutes later Eiseman responded with an unassisted goal of his own that made the score 10-6 Cardinals. Gators scored back-to-back and Ryan Weaver (Colonie, N.Y. / Colonie Central) responded with the last goal of the period at the 2:24 mark that made the score 11-8 Cardinals after three-quarters of play.

Kettle scored back-to-back and pulled the Gators within one as he made the score 11-10 Cardinals. A Chris Falborn (Nanuet, N.Y. / Nanuet) goal off a Spencer Fucheck (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. / Crotom Harmon) pass gave the Cardinals a little breathing room but it was Mame Diba with a response eight seconds later that made the score 12-11 Cardinals. Eiseman didn't take long to respond as he scored on an extra man-up opportunity less than a minute later and gave the Cardinals a little more cushion as they held on to win 13-11.

Senior goalie Dan Clements (Putnam Valley, N.Y. / Putnam Valley) made a season-high 13 saves in the win for Plattsburgh, and Graduate student goalie Collin Doughtery made five saves in the loss for Russell Sage.