PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — The second-seeded Plattsburgh State women's soccer team is heading back to the conference final after earning a 2-1 victory over third-seeded Fredonia in the semifinals of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament on Wednesday afternoon at the Field House Complex.
With the win, the Cardinals advance to the SUNYAC Championship on Saturday, where they will face the winner of top-seeded Cortland and fourth-seeded Buffalo State for the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Fredonia struck first in the 16th minute when Bronwyn Madden slipped a well-placed through ball behind the Cardinal defense to Gabrielle Irwin, who converted to give the Blue Devils an early 1-0 advantage.
Plattsburgh State quickly in the 26th minute, the Cardinals capitalized on a corner kick that was initially cleared to the edge of the box, collected by junior defender Lia Parker (Cadyville, N.Y./Saranac). Parker sent a pass into the feet of senior Kelly Licata (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North), who calmly slotted home the equalizer to make it 1-1.
The Cardinals carried the momentum into halftime, outshooting the Blue Devils 7-4 over the opening 45 minutes and dictating much of the possession.
In the second half, Plattsburgh continued to dominate play, outshooting Fredonia 9-2 while maintaining control of the midfield. The breakthrough came in the 71st minute when first-year Ireland McGowan (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) sent a ball into the box that deflected off a Blue Devil defender and landed into the path of junior Sydney Myers (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Saranac). Myers maneuvered around the goalkeeper before being taken down inside the penalty area, earning a penalty kick that she confidently converted into the bottom-right corner to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.
Fredonia pushed numbers forward in the final minutes in search of an equalizer, but the Cardinals' back line, anchored by sophomore Amy Crowley (Wallkill, N.Y./Wallkill) and first-year Mariah Nowicki (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa), held firm to preserve the victory.
Plattsburgh finished the match with a 16-6 edge in shots and a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks, showcasing their control throughout the contest. Sophomore goalkeeper Desiree DuBois (Champlain, N.Y./Northeastern Clinton Central) earned the win in goal, making several key plays to help secure the Cardinals' spot in the championship match.
The Cardinals will now look to capture the program's second-ever SUNYAC title and first since 1998 when they compete in Saturday's conference final.
