Box Score MILLER PLACE, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team scored the first four goals of the match and was never seriously challenged the rest of the way in a 17-7 non-conference victory over Eastern Connecticut State University Saturday afternoon at Miller Place High School.
Plattsburgh (3-1), which received votes in the most recent USILA Division III national poll, limited Eastern (2-3) to five first-quarter shots, built a 10-2 lead at halftime and finished with 32 more shots and had nearly a 2-to-1 edge in ground balls en route to its second win over the Warriors in as many years.
Junior attack Ryan Hubbard scored twice and assisted on a goal to help the Cardinals move out to a quick 4-0 lead eight minutes into action on the way to a five-point afternoon as one of five Plattsburgh players with two goals.
After its four-goal run to open the game, Plattsburgh ended the first half with four straight goals – Hubbard assisting on two of them – and pushed the lead to ten 12-2, by collecting the first two goals of the second half.
Eastern was unable to score multiple consecutive goals until late in the third quarter, when first-year players Ed Moran (West Haven), a freshman, and sophomore Samuel Watson (Trumbull) tallied two-and-a-half minutes apart that made it 12-4.
Watson took over the team lead (11) with three goals, and first-year junior Tom Gallagher (Southington) contributed two assists. Junior defenseman Brandon Klett (West Hartford) caused three turnovers for Eastern. Senior midfielder Nick Biasetti (Brookfield) won four ground balls, senior defenseman Nick Terry (Southington) and senior attack Nick Fernandes (Fairfield) picking up three each.
Two of Eastern's top scorers this season – juniors Harrison Urda (Milford, NH) and Matthew Rougeot (Cheshire) combined for half (11) of Eastern's shots but each managed only one goal. Plattsburgh junior goalie Donald Tesoriero needed only two saves and allowed only two goals in working the first half for his third win in four decisions.
Making his fifth straight start, junior goalie Chris Gorman (Shrewsbury, MA) made 11 saves, leaving on the short end of a 14-4 score with nine minutes left. Making his second career appearance, freshman Taylor Huta (Waterford) was credited with two saves the rest of the way.
Eastern opens its home season Wednesday, hosting Roger Williams University in a non-conference match at 4 p.m.
