ALFRED, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team opened its 2026 season with a 17-7 win over Alfred State in non-conference action on the road Saturday afternoon. Junior attacker Peter Urso (Bay Shore, N.Y. / Bay Shore) paced the Cardinal offense with three goals and created scoring opportunities for his teammates with a game-high three assists for six points.

Junior attacker Dylan Ruland (Medford, N.Y. / Patchogue Medford) found the net four times for four goals. Sophomore midfielder Jacob Solimine (Somers, N.Y. / Somers) tallied his first career goal, while first-year midfielder Connor Wiggins (Whitesboro, N.Y. / Whitesboro) recorded the first points of his career with two assists. Sophomore faceoff specialist Owen O'Hara (Tappan, N.Y. / Tappan Zee) went 9-14 at the faceoff X, earning a career-high nine wins. On defense, junior defender Fynn Whitlock (Middlebury, Vt. / Middlebury Union) led the charge on the ground with a career-high eight ground balls and added three caused turnovers. Junior goalie Cole Orehosky (Hauppauge, N.Y. / Hauppauge) picked up the win, allowing two goals in 45 minutes of action.

For the Pioneers, Matthew Bridges led the way offensively with four goals. Brendon O'Donnell contributed a goal and an assist in the effort. Goalie Matthew Burris suffered the loss in net, recording 16 saves in 60 minutes of action while picking up a game-high 17 ground balls.

Plattsburgh controlled the stat sheet, outshooting Alfred State 57-25 and winning the ground ball battle 66-45, while also holding a 16-12 edge in faceoff victories. The Cardinals were sharp on clears, finishing 31-34 compared to the Pioneers' 18-30. Neither team found much success on extra-man opportunities, though Plattsburgh converted three man-up goals while Alfred State went 0-5.

The Cardinals got the scoring started early as Urso netted back-to-back goals at the 13:10 and 12:44 marks to open the first quarter. The Pioneers answered with two straight goals to tie the game, but Plattsburgh closed the first quarter on a 3-0 run, capped by a man-down goal from Steven Fenner (Pequannock, N.J. / Pequannock), to take a 5-2 lead.

Solimine opened the scoring in the second quarter off an assist from Jamie Gipe (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker) for his first career goal. From there, it was all Plattsburgh, as the Cardinals scored 10 straight goals, including three from Ruland, to build a 16-2 lead with 8:20 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Bridges stopped the run with a goal at the 8:27 mark, and Tatum Cipp (Bellport, N.Y. / Bellport) added the final tally for Plattsburgh off a pass from Wiggins as the Cardinals went on to win 17-7.

With the win, Plattsburgh State begins the season 1-0 and will be back in action Wednesday, Feb. 25, hosting Norwich with a 4 p.m. opening faceoff.