BUFFALO, NY – The No. 5 Buffalo State women's lacrosse team earned a 16–12 victory over No. 4 SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons, using a strong second-half performance to secure their first SUNYAC semifinal appearance since 2012.

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: #5 Buffalo State – 16, #4 SUNY Oneonta - 12
LOCATION: Red Dragon Field– Oneonta, NY
RECORDS: Buffalo State: 12-6 (5-4 SUNYAC), SUNY Oneonta: 7-10 (6-3 SUNYAC)

INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Vanessa Willick (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville East) led the Bengals with an eight-point performance, scoring six-goals and adding two assists to her day. Kira Grzechowiak (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) would follow suit with a hattrick, while Lauren Rinow (Lakeview, NY/Frontier) and Sage Running Rabbit (Siksika, AB, Canada/Strathmore) added two-goals, with Running Rabbit also picking up two assists.
• Rounding out the scoring for the Bengals were Emilee Josker (Hamburg, NY/Frontier), Anna Cinquino (Conesus, NY/Livonia) and Bri Struck (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) all netting a goal in today's first round matchup.
• Defensively, Willick led with nine draw controls and four groundballs. Dejah Evans-Murphy (Auburn, NY/Auburn) led the Bengals with three caused turnovers, with Willick and Syrianna Running Rabbit (Siksika, AB, Canada/Outreach) backing her up with two caused turnovers. In net, Brielle Lum (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) and Moira Penot (Clifton Heights, PA/Upper Darby) split time, with Penot picking up the win, and Lum leading the goalies with six saves.
• As a team, the Bengals outshot the Red Dragons, 43-27, while winning the draw control battle, 16-15.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Making their first SUNYAC Championship playoff appearance since 2018, the Buffalo State Bengals sought redemption against the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons after a heartbreaking overtime loss in the regular season. The Bengals wasted no time setting the tone, striking first within the opening two minutes. They kept the pressure on, adding two more goals to build an early lead. Although the Red Dragons got on the board late in the quarter, the Bengals controlled much of the action and carried a two-goal advantage into the second quarter.
• Riding the momentum into the second quarter, the Bengals looked to extend their lead, but it was the Red Dragons who seized control, rattling off five unanswered goals to flip the game in their favor. While the Bengals managed to break the run with a goal to trim the deficit to two, but the Red Dragons countered with three straight goals, leaving the Bengals staring at a five-goal hole heading into halftime.
• Needing a spark, the Bengals came out strong after the break, outscoring the Red Dragons 4–1 by the midway point of the third quarter. After the Red Dragons briefly pushed the lead back to three, a crucial goal from Grzechowiak reignited the Bengals' rally. The Bengals' defense stiffened, holding the Red Dragons to just two goals in the quarter to set the stage for a fourth-quarter push.
• The Bengals struck first in the final frame, cutting the deficit to one before the teams traded goals. Willick's game-tying goal with eight minutes remaining shifted the momentum, and from there, the Bengals surged ahead. Willick and Grzechowiak combined for the final five goals of the game, completing a stunning comeback and securing a first-round road victory. The win marked the Bengals' first playoff victory and semifinal appearance since 2012.

FOR THE FOES

• Cassidy Moore led the Red Dragons with six points, scoring four goals and two assists.
• Margot Haring led the Red Dragons with 12 saves in net.

UP NEXT

The Bengals will continue their revenge tour as they seek redemption against the No. 1 Oswego State Lakers on Wednesday, April 30^th at 6:00 P.M.