When the Plattsburgh State women’s basketball team entered its final week of the regular season, their playoff chances were still alive as they traveled to take on Brockport and Geneseo.
In a great effort, the Cardinals (14-11, 8-10 SUNYAC) kept their playoff hopes alive with a win against Brockport 69-56 last Friday, but their hard-fought season ended with a loss to Geneseo 56-46 Saturday.
Going into that weekend, PSUC needed to win both games on the road, and Brockport had to lose its final two contests for the Cards to secure a playoff spot.
On the first night of the road trip, the Cards defeated the Golden Eagles, keeping their fight for postseason contention alive, but PSUC was unable to beat the Knights the following day, which marked the end of the season for the team.
The Cards were disappointed that their season ended, but head coach Cheryl Cole said there were many high points in the season, and the seniors had stellar careers at PSUC.
“They will graduate, and that class was the most successful class ever here at Plattsburgh State in win-loss percentage. They won a championship two years ago and they got to the NCAA tournament,” Cole said. “All the things they did will be remembered in the history here for a long time.”
PSUC senior forward Devona Paul, who lead the team in points and rebounds, said she will miss suiting up in the red and white and playing with her teammates.
“I have been doing a lot of reflecting, and basketball is something that has been part of my life. It becomes your identity. When you introduce yourself ‘I’m so and so, and I am on the women’s basketball team,” now I am just so and so,” Paul said. “I am going to miss the relationships on and off the basketball court with my teammates. We will still have the same relationship that we have cultivated over the years. The difference is I will never get to suit up and play on this floor again.”
PSUC freshman guard Bella DePasquale said playing with the seniors has improved her game.
“They have helped me so much. They have taught me everything. They have been so positive,” DePasquale said. “They have always been behind me, and they have always boosted my confidence. They’re always helpful, and they have been amazing this year.”
The Cards expect to have eight players return next spring season and ten incoming freshman for next season, and Cole said this will make for an exciting atmosphere.
“Our returners are going to be outnumbered by the young players we have, so it’s going to be exciting and competitive,” Cole said. “We are going to have depth, so there will be competition on a daily basis.”
Overall, the Cards are confident and look to have a successful campaign next year.
Cole said, however, that there will be some changes.
“We will probably do everything differently. We want to build everything from ground zero. All our returning players have skill and talent,” Cole said. “We will be a younger and deeper team. We will be a team that will improve tremendously over the course of the season because we are still young, and we got so much to learn. We have to figure out what our strengths are and know where we want to take the team.”
Email Adonys Temple at adonys.temple@cardinalpointsonline.com
