PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. First-year head coach Anna Bissell earned her first career win as the Plattsburgh State women's lacrosse team routed Russell Sage 18-7 in its season opener on Sunday afternoon. Plattsburgh improves to 6-0 all-time against Russell Sage. Senior attacker Cynthia Barnosky paced the Cardinals' offense with a game-high seven points on a game-high five goals and two assists to go along with a career-high five ground balls.

In her Plattsburgh debut, junior attacker Ellie Macdonald (Burlington, Vt. / Burlington) was the next top scorer with four points, tallying three goals and an assist. The Cardinals had seven other goal scorers, including senior midfielder Anna Myers (Saugerties, N.Y. / Saugerties), who scored her first collegiate goal. On the defensive side, it was sophomore attacker Ashley O'Hara (Chittenango, N.Y. / The Hill School) who led the way with a career-high five caused turnovers and a career-high eight draw controls while scooping up three ground balls. First-year goalie Aimee Lieman (Fair Lawn, N.J. / Fair Lawn) earned the win in net in her first start, recording three saves in 60 minutes of action.

For the Gators, Gianna Geraci led the way with four points on four goals and added four draw controls. Samantha Shafer finished with two goals, two ground balls, and a caused turnover. Zoe Gravina took the loss in net, recording five saves in 30 minutes of action, while Keegan Long made four saves in 30 minutes of action.

Plattsburgh controlled the stat sheet, outshooting Russell Sage 35-23 and winning the ground ball battle 18-9. The Cardinals also dominated draw controls, 16-8. On clears, Plattsburgh finished 11-of-21 while Russell Sage went 5-of-13. The Cards capitalized on free-position chances, converting 3-of-4, while the Gators scored twice on five attempts.

It was the Gators who opened the scoring in the first quarter with a tally from Geraci. However, Plattsburgh answered with a decisive run, sparked by a Barnosky goal at the 13:03 mark and capped by Macdonald's second of the game at 6:01 to take a 6-1 lead. The Gators responded with two goals as Plattsburgh controlled a 6-3 lead going into the second.

The second quarter began with back-to-back goals from Plattsburgh as O'Hara netted the first off an assist from Abby Guasconi (Ogdensburg, N.Y. / Ogdensburg Free Academy), followed by a goal from Leah Klotz (Highland, N.Y. / Highland) off the pass from O'Hara. The Gators followed with two of their own as Plattsburgh led 8-5 with 7:26 to go in the second.

The Cardinals' offense began to gain momentum as Barnosky's third tally opened a 5-0 run and pushed the Cardinals' lead to 13-5 at the 8:51 mark of the third quarter. Erica Dickinson (Yaphank, N.Y. / Bellport) scored the final goal of the third, sending Plattsburgh into the final quarter with a decisive 14-6 lead.

Geraci netted her fourth goal of the game to start the fourth at the 12:57 mark. That goal would be the Gators' last, as Plattsburgh's defense shut them out the rest of the way while the offense added four more scores, including Myers' first collegiate goal, en route to an 18-7 victory.

With the win, Plattsburgh State begins the season 1-0 and will be back in action Tuesday, Feb. 24, hosting Norwich with a 3 p.m. opening draw control.