POTSDAM, NY – The Buffalo State women's lacrosse team defeated the SUNY Potsdam Bears, 21-9, extending their win-streak to five games and clinching their best SUNYAC start since the 2009 season.  

THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Buffalo State – 21, SUNY Potsdam - 9
LOCATION: Maxcy Turf Field – Potsdam, NY
RECORDS: Buffalo State: 10-2 (4-0 SUNYAC), SUNY Potsdam: 5-5 (0-4 SUNYAC)

INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Offensively, Vanessa Willick (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville East) led the Bengals with eight goals and three assists for an 11-point performance. Willick's performance today clinched 50-goals for the season, surpassing her marker of 47-goals last season.
• The Bengals also had three-other multi-goal scorers in today's performance, with; Lauren Rinow (Lakeview, NY/Frontier) scoring five-goals, Emilee Josker (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) scoring four-goals and Sage Running Rabbit (Siksika, AB, Canada/Strathmore) scoring two-goals, while adding eight-assists. Rounding out the scoring for the Bengals were Bri Struck (Penn Yan, NY/Penn Yan Academy) and Kira Grzechowiak (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) with one-goal each.
• Defensively, Willick led with 11 draw controls and three groundballs, with Josker racking up five draw controls and two groundballs as well. Anastacia Wells (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) forced four turnovers to lead the Bengals. Brielle Lum (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) would get the start and the win in net, making three-saves, with Moira Penot (Clifton Heights, PA/Upper Darby) seeing action between the pipes as well, making two-saves.
• As a team, the Bengals outshot the Bears 43-19, with the Bengals pulling down 21 draw controls.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Riding a four-game winning streak, including back-to-back SUNYAC victories, the Buffalo State Bengals hit the road to face another conference foe, the SUNY Potsdam Bears, in a matchup that would put their momentum to the test. The opening quarter saw both teams trade early goals before the Bengals went on a two-goal run to take the lead. The Bears would answer with another score, but the Bengals responded with two more goals to close the quarter strong and carry a lead into the second.
• In the second quarter, the Bengals struck first to extend their lead. As both teams battled not only each other but also the elements, the Bears managed to get back on the board and shift some momentum their way. However, the Bengals roared back, stringing together five unanswered goals, including one in the final 10 seconds of the half, to take a commanding lead into halftime.
• Coming out of the break, the Bengals continued to press, scoring first and inching closer to a double-digit lead. The Bears, however, found a spark, outscoring the Bengals 6–5 in the third quarter, including a trio of goals in the final minutes to trim the Bengals' lead to seven heading into the final frame.
• Sensing a shift in momentum, the Bengals came out firing in the fourth quarter—and they didn't miss. They shut out the Bears 5–0 in the final frame, sealing their fifth consecutive win, their first 10-win season since 2012, and their best SUNYAC start since 2009.

FOR THE FOES

• Lindsey LaDue led the Bears with five goals.
• Kimora Swamp kept the Bears in this matchup the best she could, making 13-saves in net.

UP NEXT
The Bengals continue their SUNYAC road swing on Wednesday, April 9, with a 4:30 p.m. showdown against the Fredonia Blue Devils in this season's edition of the "Battle by the Lake" rivalry game.