POTSDAM, N.Y. – After only scoring three goals in their last game, the Plattsburgh State women's lacrosse team scored eight goals in the first half en route to their 12-7 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win over Potsdam in their season finale. Sophomore attacker Cynthia Barnosky (Shirley, N.Y. / William Floyd) led the Cardinal offense with eight points as she had a three-goal hat trick to go with five assists that brought her season total to 16 which tied the single-season record for assists set by Emily Caoili in 2022.

Junior attacker Maddy Garcia (New Paltz, N.Y. / New Paltz) and sophomore midfielder Taya Balfour (Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown) also had multi-goal days as Garcia netted a three-goal hat trick and Balfour put two in the back of the net. Fiona Fitzgerald (Long Beach, N.Y. / Holy Trinity) spread the ball around for the Cardinals as she registered three assists on the day. Rachel LaMar (Ballston Lake, N.Y. / Shenendehowa), Erica Dickinson (Yaphank, N.Y. / Bellport), Caitlin Nash (Patchogue, N.Y. / Patchogue-Medford), and Nicole Resnick (Latham, N.Y. / Shaker) all scored one goal each. Lillian Gilroy (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy) and Balfour both picked up four ground balls as Gilroy improved her single-season record to 60. First-year defender Sloane Carr (Victor, N.Y. / Victor-Senior) picked up a career-high five ground balls.

For the Bears, Anita Reitano led the team in points with five off of three goals and two assists followed by Mallory Marks with two goals.

The Bears slightly outshot the Cardinals 28-26 and had the edge in ground balls 29-28. The Cardinals won the draw control battle 12-11. The Cardinals were 0-2 on free-position shots while the Bears were 2-5. On clears the Cardinals were a very efficient 25-28 compared to the Bears 19-27.  

Plattsburgh rises to 4-11 overall (3-6 SUNYAC) as they wrapped up their season at Potsdam after being eliminated from the playoffs. Potsdam falls to 4-10 overall (1-8 SUNYAC) and has also concluded their season as they have been eliminated from playoffs as well.

The Cardinals struck first in this game as Barnosky got them on the board with an unassisted goal at the 11:35 mark followed by a goal from Garcia that was assisted by Barnosky. The Bears responded with back-to-back goals at the 9:56 and 9:16 mark and tied the game at 2. The Cardinals ended the first with three straight goals from Balfour, Garcia, and Nash assisted by Fitzgerald, Barnoksy, and Fitzgerald respectively, and went into the second with a 5-2 lead.

The Cardinals continued their run in the second with a three-goal run with goals from Dickinson, Resnick, and Garcia and extended their lead to 8-2. Barnoksy registered an assist on the first two goals while Fitzgerald picked up another assist on the ladder. It took nearly the entire quarter before the Bears got on the board as Lindsey LaDue put one in the back of the net at the 1:51 mark and made the score 8-3 Cardinals at halftime.

Tessa Pierce opened the scoring in the third with a quick goal at the 14:35 mark. Barnoksy netted her second goal of the game nearly 10 minutes later at the 5:00 minute mark and made the score 9-4 Cardinals. Balfour scored the last goal of the quarter with less than two minutes to play as the Cardinals led 10-4 at the end of the third quarter.

Reitano opened the scoring in the fourth followed by back-to-back goals from the Cardinals from Barnosky and LaMar with the ladder coming off the assist of Barnoksy that made the score 12-5 Cardinals. Marks responded with a goal at the 10:43 mark and Reitano scored the last goal of the game at the 5:34 mark as the Cardinals went on to win 12-7.

Graduate student goalie Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, Calif. / El Toro) made 13 saves in the win for Plattsburgh. Sophomore goalie Jane Olszewski made six saves in the loss for Potsdam.

Wednesday marked the final collegiate game for Nease, Fitzgerlad, and senior defenders Sam Lombardi (East Atlantic Beach, N.Y. / Kellenberg Memorial), and Janey Adams (Wynantskill, N.Y. / Averill Park).