PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Potsdam women's lacrosse team (3-8, 1-4) grounded the Plattsburgh State Cardinals (2-9, 0-5) 11-8 on Wednesday afternoon at Plattsburgh, picking up its first SUNYAC win of the 2026 season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• In the opening quarter, the Cardinals got on the board first, scoring two goals in less than a minute. Ellie MacDonald had the first on the player advantage, and Abby Guasconi doubled the Plattsburgh lead at 7:25. Senior Bears' captain Megan MacWilliams (Parishville, N.Y./Parishville-Hopkins) netted the first for Potsdam with 2:19 left in the first. 
• Potsdam carried momentum into the second quarter, as MacWilliams tied it up less than a minute and a half in. Plattsburgh responded four minutes later as MacDonald netted her second of the night. Senior captain Auna Shadle (Massena, N.Y./Massena) answered at 5:51, assisted by freshman attack Abbey Light (Jay, N.Y./Lake Placid). Brooke Terry put the Cardinals ahead once more at 4:31. The Bears concluded the half with three unanswered goals in 30 seconds, as sophomore attack Jayla Thompson (Hogansburg, N.Y./Massena) and junior midfielder Iohseriio Tabor (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) recorded their firsts of the night, and Shadle got her second on the player advantage. Potsdam went into the half up 6-4. 
• Plattsburgh scored twice early in the third quarter through a player-down goal by Ashley O'Hara at 9:41 and a player-up goal by Terry at 8:33, tying the game 6-6. Potsdam responded with two goals of its own. Junior attack Abby Kraus (Buffalo, N.Y./Frontier) scored the seventh for the Bears, assisted by Thompson. Thompson netted her second of the contest thirty seconds later. Erica Dickinson got one back for the Cardinals, but Thompson closed out the quarter by completing the hat trick, with an assist from MacWilliams. 
• The Bears put the contest away with two more goals in the final quarter, as MacWilliams completed a hat trick of her own at 13:13 and sophomore attack Ava Murphy (Lisbon, N.Y./Lisbon) added the 11th goal for Potsdam at 4:15. MacDonald scored the only Plattsburgh goal in the quarter, bringing her total to three. Potsdam claimed the victory, 11-8. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• The Bears outshot the Cardinals 29-22 and had a slight 12-11 advantage on draw controls. 
• MacWilliams finished with three goals and an assist, along with two caused turnovers. 
• Thompson had three goals and an assist, and Shadle recorded two goals and an assist.
• Senior goalie Olivia Minarich (Albany, N.Y./Albany) stopped seven shots in the contest, earning her fourth career win. 
• Plattsburgh goalie Aimee Lieman made 11 saves.  

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears face the Fredonia Blue Devils this Saturday at 12 p.m. at Maxcy Turf Field.