POTSDAM, N.Y.—Third ranked Plattsburgh State (4-0, 4-0 NEWHL) defeated the SUNY Potsdam women's hockey team (2-2, 2-2) 8-2 on Saturday afternoon. Senior captain Kaylee Merrill (Wasilla, Alaska/Anchorage North Stars) and senior forward Megan Teachout (Auburn, N.Y./Oswego State) each scored for the Bears.
 
The pace of the game started slowly, but a Bears cross-checking penalty at 7:04 got the Cardinals going. At 7:50, Cardinals graduate student captain Sara Krauseneck (Saginaw, Mich./Northern Cyclones) tipped a shot from the point past junior goalie Ellie Zurfluh (Arvada, Colo./Team Colorado) for a 1-0 lead. At 10:29, junior Ivy Boric (Newport Beach, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) struck from the front of the net to make it 2-0. Boric netted her second at 13:22 for the final goal of the period. Zurfluh made 13 stops in the first 20 minutes and the Bears trailed by three.
 
Potsdam went on the power play early in the second and made the most of it. Merrill roofed a shot from the right faceoff circle over the left shoulder of Cardinals senior goalie Lilla Nease (Lake Forest, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) to make it 3-1. Sophomore defenseman Lyvia Chambers (Buffalo, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) assisted on the goal. The momentum appeared to be swinging the Bears' direction, but Plattsburgh quickly seized it back with three goals over the next four minutes. Sophomore forward Riley Calhoun (New Hartford, N.Y./Bishop Kearney Selects) scored at 7:55. Senior defenseman Sierra Benjamin (Palm Coast, Fla./Northwood School) rifled a shot from the right point into the right top corner of the net at 8:11. Boric then completed her hat trick at 9:29. With 48 seconds to go, sophomore forward Karley Green (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam Ice Storm) poked the puck loose and fed Teachout. Teachout went in all alone and scored to close the second period at 6-2.  
 
The Cardinals added two more goals in the third. Krauseneck added her second at 5:01 for Plattsburgh's third power-play marker of the game. At the 13:20 mark, graduate student forward Holly Schmelzer (East Amherst, N.Y./Niagar Jr. Eagles) closed the scoring at 8-2.
 
Zurfluh finished with 22 saves and 13 goals allowed in the first 29:29. Sophomore goalie Hannah Barrett (Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles) stopped 17 shots and allowed two goals in the last 30:31. Nease finished with 17 saves for the win.
 
The Bears are back in action next Friday at 3 p.m. when they host Route 11 Rival and NEWHL foe SUNY Canton.