By Ziaire Ferrell & Justin Rushia
Junior forward Cynthia Barnosky made history April 15, becoming Plattsburgh State’s all-time leading goal scorer, but the milestone came in a tough 16-4 loss to SUNY New Paltz in a SUNYAC matchup at the Field House Complex Turf.
With her first-quarter score, Barnosky notched the 83rd goal of her career, surpassing the previous program record.
“The gameplan was to focus on ourselves and the team’s game,” Barnosky said. “We knew New Paltz was going to be tough, but we were going to make them earn the win.”
The Cardinals (3–11, 1–7) hung tight early, ending the first quarter knotted at 3–3 after first-year Maggie Maurer, senior Caitlin Nash, and Barnosky all found the back of the net. The Hawks (11–3, 6–1) pulled away with eight unanswered goals in the second half.
“Our defense did a great job on their end,” Barnosky said. “Mae, our goalie, had an incredible game and saved a lot of their shots. We could hold them till the shot clock ran out a couple of times.”
Olshansky turned in a career-high 11 saves in the loss.
“We knew going into the game that New Paltz would be a tough team,” junior Rachel LaMar said. “For one, New Paltz runs a zone defense which is not very common in the SUNYAC, so we had to adjust by planning a new play to break it down in practice and utilizing it during the game.”
Despite the result, the Cardinals found positives in their execution and resilience.
Nash, one of four seniors on the roster, played a pivotal role in possession, scoring once and helping on the draw.
“Nash really stood out to me during this game,” LaMar said. “She was vital in our transition as she worked to get open throughout the game and helped push us into the offense. Her determination inspires the team.”
New Paltz controlled the stat sheet, outshooting Plattsburgh 42–11 and winning the ground ball battle 19–13. The Cardinals held the advantage in draw controls, 15–9.
“It’s hard to have expectations going into any conference game because every day can look different for each team,” LaMar said. “We were looking to compete and hold a close game with them as we did for our first quarter, but it ultimately didn’t end up going our way.”
With the loss, the Cardinals were officially eliminated from SUNYAC tournament contention, but the team remained focused on ending the season on a strong note.
“This season did not go as we expected, but these games have shown us that we are able to compete within the SUNYAC conference and put up a fight,” said Barnosky. “We do not just let these teams win.”
The Cardinals headed to Canton on Friday for their penultimate game of the season, ultimately falling to the Kangaroos 15-6.
“Our next game against Canton, we are playing for ourselves and our seniors,” Barnosky said. “We want this win … and we know we need to look at the little things.”
LaMar reflected on her final home game with mixed emotions.
“For me, the one word I would use is bittersweet,” she said. “While we had to walk away with the loss, I can’t help but feel grateful for my time on that field and with this program.”
Plattsburgh State wraps up its 2025 campaign next week against the Potsdam Bears on April 23.
As the Cardinals look to the future, Barnosky expressed confidence in the team’s growth.
“This year was a tough year, we were a pretty young team with a lot of new players,” she said. “It was an adjustment for sure, but … we are going to continue working harder every day for progress to be made for next season.”
