POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam women's lacrosse team (2-3) edged Russell Sage College (2-3) 12-11 in a back-and-forth contest at the Maxcy Turf Field. Senior attack Anita Reitano (Averill Park, N.Y./Averill Park) had a career day for the Bears with eight points on three goals and five assists. Reitano's five assists is also a new career high. Junior midfielder Lindsey LaDue (Massena, N.Y./Massena) registered three goals and one assist. Sophomore midfielder Tessa Pierce (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) had three goals to round out the offense for the Bears.
 
Both teams struggled to find many good looks until 9:18 in the first quarter when the Gators got on the board. Reitano answered with a goal of her own at 7:27 to tie the game for the Bears. Russell Sage attack Alexandra Queeney (Johnstown, N.Y./Johnstown) scored next to put the Gators back ahead at the 4:43 mark. Russell Sage held off Potsdam for the remainder of the quarter as they took the 2-1 lead into the second quarter.
 
Potsdam scored two goals early in the second quarter from Reitano and LaDue to put the Bears back on top. Junior attack AnnaBelle Mitchell (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) scored one more for Potsdam halfway through quarter as the Gators took the 5-4 advantage into the half.
 
Russell Sage scored twice to start the third quarter. Midfielder Ashley Hearn (Waterloo, N.Y./Waterloo) set up Queeney for the first and then followed with a goal of her own to extend the Gator lead 7-4 at the 13:31 mark. Reitano netted her third goal of the contest one minute later but was masked by three more goals from the Gators. Both teams found the back of the net again before Potsdam closed out the third quarter scoring two straight goals. Pierce scored off a find from LaDue at the 1:47 mark and LaDue netted one with 49 seconds remaining as Russell Sage continued to lead 11-8 after 45 minutes.
 
The fourth and final quarter was all Potsdam as the Bears scored four unanswered goals from Mitchell, Pierce, LaDue, and freshman attack Haley Stevenson (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) to overtake the Gators 12-11 for their first lead of the game with 7:18 remaining. Freshman goalie Olivia Minarich (Albany, N.Y./Albany) made three key saves in the final 3:28 of the fourth quarter to hold off the Gators and capture Potsdam's first home victory this season.
 
Freshman goalie Jane Olszewski (Thornwood, N.Y./Westlake) made four saves and allowed five goals in the first half for the Bears. Minarich made six saves in the final 30 minutes to earn the win for Potsdam.
 
Senior Hannah Stevenson (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) had career highs in caused turnovers ground balls registering seven of each. Pierce had 10 draw controls and sophomore attack Mallory Marks (Brownville, N.Y./General Brown) tallied seven.
 
Senior midfielder Caroline Musinski (Bennington, Vt./Mt. Anthony Union) and Queeney both registered four points, recording three goals and one assist each for the Gators.
 
With her three goals and five assists, Reitano now ranks third in all-time assists (56) and sixth in all-time goals scored (92) at Potsdam.
 
The Bears are back in action on Saturday when they travel to SUNY Geneseo for their conference opener at 11 a.m.