CORTLAND, N.Y. — Despite a spirited second-half comeback attempt, the second-seeded Plattsburgh State women's soccer team fell just short in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship, dropping a 3-2 decision to top-seeded Cortland on Saturday afternoon at T. Fred Holloway Field.

Heavy rain in the days leading up to the match created muddy, slick conditions on Cortland's grass surface, setting the stage for a gritty, physical title showdown. The Red Dragons, who entered with one of the nation's strongest defenses, wasted no time capitalizing early. Just one minute into the contest, Gianna Cirilla broke down the end line past two Cardinal defenders and cut a ball back to Julia DeTurris, who buried a shot into the right side of the net to open the scoring.

Cortland doubled its advantage less than ten minutes later, as Cirilla lofted a shot over the goalkeeper's head to make it 2-0. The Red Dragons continued to control the first half, outshooting Plattsburgh State 8-4 while maintaining their two-goal cushion heading into the break.

In the second half, Cortland extended its lead to 3-0 in the 59th minute when Piper Klammer's shot was initially turned away by Cardinal goalkeeper Desiree DuBois (Champlain, N.Y./Northeastern Clinton Central), but Cirilla pounced on the rebound to net her second goal of the afternoon.

Refusing to go quietly, the Cardinals showcased the resilience that defined their season. In the 75th minute, Bailey Lafountain (Mooers Forks, N.Y./Northeastern Clinton) converted off a Leah Warren (Lisbon, N.Y./Lisbon) corner kick to put Plattsburgh on the board. Less than a minute later, Warren once again made an impact, delivering a dangerous cross from the right side that fell to first-year midfielder Jadyn Baker (Syracuse, N.Y./Marcellus), who slotted home her first collegiate goal to cut the deficit to one.

Plattsburgh continued to press forward in the final minutes, outshooting Cortland 7-6 in the second half and creating several quality chances, but the Red Dragons' defense held firm to preserve the 3-2 win and capture the 2025 SUNYAC Championship. Following the match, Sydney Myers (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Saranac), Kelly Licata (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North), and Lafountain were each named to the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team for their standout performances throughout the postseason. Plattsburgh State concludes its 2025 campaign with a 10-7-2 overall record and a 6-1-2 mark in SUNYAC play.