PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's ice hockey team delivered a dominant performance Saturday afternoon at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena, defeating William Smith by a 7-0 margin in the SUNYAC Semifinal to punch its ticket to the conference championship game.

The Cardinals wasted little time asserting control, dictating the pace from the opening faceoff and striking early in the first period. Junior Emily Kasprzak (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) opened the scoring at 5:16, finishing off a setup from senior Taya Balfour (Moorestown, N.J.) and first-year Zoe Puc (West Palm Beach, Fla.) to give Plattsburgh a lead it would not relinquish. Later in the frame, junior Sydnee Francis (Canton, N.Y.) capitalized on the power play, converting a feed from Kasprzak and junior Maeghan Forsyth (Billings, Mont.) to extend the advantage to 2-0 heading into the intermission.

Plattsburgh continued to pour on the pressure in the second period, showcasing the balanced attack that has defined its season. First-year Bailey MacKellar (Hamburg, N.Y.) netted a goal just 1:21 into the frame, and first-year Piper Smith (Newnan, Ga.) added another midway through the period to stretch the lead. Sophomore Kate Conlon (New Hudson, Mich.) tallied late in the second to send the Cardinals into the locker room with a commanding five-goal cushion.

The third period saw more of the same, as the Cardinals' relentless forecheck and crisp puck movement kept the Herons on their heels. Junior Adriana Urban (Monroe, N.J.) found the back of the net to make it 6-0 before Conlon capped the afternoon with her second goal of the game in the closing seconds, sealing the 7-0 victory.

Defensively, Plattsburgh was equally impressive, limiting William Smith to just 13 shots on goal. Sophomore goaltender Maddy Stetson (Wasilla, Alaska) turned aside every attempt she faced to secure the shutout.

With the victory, Plattsburgh continues its dominance over William Smith, improving to 9-0 all-time against the Herons. The Cardinals, who swept the regular-season series with a 4-0 home shutout and a 2-1 road win, collect their third win over the Herons this season. The Cardinals continue their quest for back-to-back SUNYAC Championships in the conference's third season sponsoring women's ice hockey, moving to 19-6-1 overall, and will be back in action as they host the SUNYAC Championship on Saturday, March 7 against Cortland.