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Bears women's lax bow to Lakers in SUNYAC Quarters, McClusky reaches 200 points

Posted 5/4/16

POTSDAM, N.Y.—The fifth-seeded SUNY Potsdam women's lacrosse team (7-9) fell to fourth seed Oswego State (12-3) 21-10 in the SUNYAC Quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon. Senior midfielder Bri …

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Bears women's lax bow to Lakers in SUNYAC Quarters, McClusky reaches 200 points

Posted

POTSDAM, N.Y.—The fifth-seeded SUNY Potsdam women's lacrosse team (7-9) fell to fourth seed Oswego State (12-3) 21-10 in the SUNYAC Quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon. Senior midfielder Bri McClusky (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) had a goal and two assists to become the second Bear in program history to reach 200 points. With her three-point day and four goals from junior attack Murphy Newman (Canton, N.Y./Berkshire School), the duo tied the program's single-season scoring mark of 71 points set by Hall of Famer Alisha Schaad-Waite '08 in 2008.

The teams traded goals over the first 13 minutes of the contest, with Potsdam answering each Laker tally. Briana Kimble opened the scoring with an assist from Erannan Shattuck 3:53 into the contest. McClusky fed junior attack Katie Lapinski (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) just 56 later to tie the game. The pattern continued for the next five goals. Newman tied the game at 2-2 with a free-position goal at 21:49 and sophomore attack Rachel Huntley (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) made the most of a free position at 19:39 to even the game at three all. Oswego answered with a 4-0 run over the next six minutes to take a 7-3 lead before Lapinski set up Huntley's second with 11:10 remaining in the half. At 6:24, junior attack Mariah Pierce (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) connected with McClusky for her 200th career point. McClusky's goal closed the gap to 8-5. Oswego scored the final two goals of the half and took a 10-5 advantage into the break.

The Lakers were just as strong in the final 30 minutes, getting the first three goals. Newman and junior midfielder Michaela Cole (Parishville, N.Y./Parishville-Hopkinton) scored two of the next three and Potsdam trailed 14-7 with 19:52 to play. Oswego started a 5-1 run nearly two minutes later, with Newman scoring for the Bears at 10:22 with an assist from McClusky. Lapinski and Newman scored consecutively at 6:02 and 4:22 to make it 19-10, but the Lakers tacked on two more in the final 3:56.

In goal, junior Devan Olschewske (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) made six saves for Potsdam, while Angela Ponto earned the win with five for Oswego.

Senior midfielder Maggie McCabe (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) finished her career with a personal best 10 draw controls on the afternoon. Senior defender Brittany Blake (South Glens Falls, N.Y./South Glens Falls) added three more. Newman is now seventh in program history in points (108) and fourth in goals (92).

The contest brings to a close the careers of McClusky, McCabe, Blake and midfielder Lizzie Marchbanks (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool). McClusky leaves Potsdam as the program's all-time assists leader (114) and second in points (201). She has also started 59 games in her career, more than any other Bear. McCabe is seventh in ground balls (122), third in draw controls (116) and fifth in caused turnovers (47). Blake's 97 ground balls are 10th best in program history and she is tied with Marchbanks for 13th on the all-time caused turnover list with 33.

The Bears capped their landmark season with their first ever playoff appearance. They also tied the program record for overall wins with seven and set one for conference victories with three. Potsdam also set team records for goals (196), assists (95) and points (291).