Cardinal Clips: Issue 9

Cardinal Clips is a bite-sized, condensed look at Plattsburgh State Athletics and its programs.

WBB

The Plattsburgh Cardinals secured a close win in Canton, beating the St. Lawrence Saints 61-58 Tuesday, Nov 14. The win snapped a three-game losing streak against the Saints.

With the game tied at 56-56, first-year guard Julia Greek hit the dagger three-ball to put the Cards ahead for good. She ended the night with 17 points on 6-13 shooting, including 4-6 from deep.

Junior guard/forward Payton Couture led the Cardinals in scoring. Her 20 points were integral to the win. She also retrieved four offensive rebounds, which helped the Cardinals notch eight second chance points, an area in which the Saints outpaced it 8-16. Couture shot 7-14 on the night, with 6-7 free throw shooting.

Graduate student guard Mya Smith was the third Cardinal to achieve double digit scoring on the night. She ended with 13 points on 4-14 shooting and was flawless in her three trips to the line. Two of those shots came at the end of the game, clutching up the win.

Sophomore center Imani Walcott and sophomore guard/forward Kathy Peterson-Ross cleaned the glass for Plattsburgh State. Walcott pulled 11 rebounds and Peterson-Ross had eight, making up nearly half of the Cards total 41.

Plattsburgh is now 2-0 on the season, and will look to improve in the Cardinal Classic against visiting Bates College Friday, Nov. 17 and Vermont State University-Castleton, Saturday, Nov. 18.

WHKY

Plattsburgh women’s hockey remained undefeated this past week — the Cards rolled over the Buffalo State Bengals 6-0 Friday, Nov. 10, and the Morrisville Mustangs 6-0 Saturday, Nov. 11. Plattsburgh then faced its first ranked opponent this season, tying the no. 13 Norwich Cadets 2-2 at home Tuesday, Nov. 14.

The Cardinals made sure to capitalize on power play opportunities against Buffalo State, as four of its scores came when the Bengals were a woman down. 

First-year forward Zsofia Pazmandi held her coming out party, scoring two goals and an assist, the first of her collegiate career. 

Additionally, sophomore defenseman Aizah Thompson, graduate student forward Julia Masotta, senior forward Ciara Wall and first-year forward Dani Longuemare all added scores. Longuemare’s goal was also the first of her career. 

Graduate students forward Ivy Boric and defenseman Kendall Wasik were all over the ice, tallying three assists. Masotta also tacked on two assists.

Plattsburgh kept its foot on the gas headed into Morrisville. Bridget Orr notched her first two goals of the season, both coming in the second period. Once the floodgates opened, the Cardinals poured on. 

Additional scores came from Masotta, sophomore forward Emma McLean and first-year forwards Ava Mattaliano and Emily Kasprzak — both their firsts. Masotta again had two assists.

Masotta was named SUNYAC Player of the Week, the second time she’s received the honor in her career, Nov. 13.

Pazmandi earned SUNYAC Rookie of the Week on the same day.

Norwich gave Plattsburgh a true test in the Cardinals’ first overtime game this season. Plattsburgh last tied a game against Cortland Feb. 4, 2022, over a full season ago.

After a scoreless first period, Norwich junior forward Taylor Girouard put the puck in a minute into the second period. 

Orr, set up by Masotta, responded six minutes later to even out the score. Orr then took the lead with her fourth goal of the season, assisted by Masotta and first-year defenseman Meagan Forsyth, 11 minutes later.

Plattsburgh held on for the rest of the quarter, but relinquished their lead three minutes into the third. Norwich’s first-year forward Livia Brooks scored the equalizer. The Cards won the shots battle 40-18.

No overtime was played as Norwich is out-of-conference.

The Cardinals play the Cadets again, when the teams face off in the Norwich East-West Hockey Classic in Northfield, Vermont Dec. 9. Plattsburgh will play a total of five more ranked opponents this season: Norwich, Cortland three times, Elmira or Nazareth, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Middlebury potentially twice.

Plattsburgh next hits the ice tonight against the SUNYAC opponent Potsdam Bears on the road at 7 p.m. The Cardinals will then participate in the Panther/Cardinal Classic in Middlebury, Vermont next weekend. The Cards face the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds Nov. 25, and then either the Middlebury Panthers or the Endicott Gulls Nov. 26 in the consolation or championship.