PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – After a tight first quarter, the Plattsburgh State women's basketball team pulled away over the next 30 minutes to stake an 80-38 victory over Southern Vermont College Saturday night in the first round of the Cardinal Classic hosted by Plattsburgh at Memorial Hall.
A buzzer-beating three by the Mountaineers sent the game to the second quarter with the Cardinals up just 14-10, but Plattsburgh outscored SVC in each of the final three stanzas to increase its lead en route to its second win of the year.
Southern Vermont (0-2) will now take on the University of Southern Maine in the Classic's consolation game Sunday afternoon, tip-off slated for 1 p.m.
SVC senior captain Amber Dow (Panton, Vt.) led the Mountaineers with 13 points, adding two rebounds, two assists and two steals to her line. Junior Chloe Longe (Enosburg Falls, Vt.) followed with nine points and nine boards while senior Abbi Molner (Wilmington, Vt.) had six points and another nine rebounds.
Freshman Sarah Poirier (Ferrisburgh, Vt.) tallied seven points, nine boards, four assists and two steals in 24 minutes of action, and classmate Kelly Dobbert (Stamford, Vt.) had another four rebounds for the Mountaineers.
Plattsburgh shot at a 39.8 percent clip (33-83) from the floor while SVC connected on 29.8 percent (14-47) of its field goal attempts. The Cardinals grabbed 47 rebounds to the Mountaineers' 39, and the hosts outscored Southern Vermont by a 28-11 margin off turnovers.
Plattsburgh scored the first nine points of the night, only to see SVC climb back to stay in it. Poirier drilled a three before a Dow layup made it a 14-7 game heading into the final minute of the period. After missed shots at both ends, Dow found Poirier at the left edge with time expiring, and the Mountaineer rookie swished home the trey to make it a 14-10 difference going to the second quarter.
Molner set herself down in the low post once play resumed, connecting from about 10 feet out before a free throw by sophomore captain Kayla Emmi (Syracuse, N.Y.) cut it to a 14-13 Cardinal edge. Plattsburgh would then go on a strong run to increase its cushion, however, scoring 17 of the next 20 to go into the break ahead 31-16.
Scores were traded in the early-going of the third quarter before the Cardinals opened up another surge that gave them a comfortable advantage. Molner and Longe each hit layups to keep their offense moving, but Plattsburgh would then notch 18 unanswered points to put it out of reach. Dow had 10 of her points in the fourth quarter, but it would not be enough as the Cardinals finished off the win.
– #LetsGoSVC –