POTSDAM, N.Y.—A quick start propelled Buffalo State (10-4, 5-1 SUNYAC) to a 16-8 SUNYAC victory over the SUNY Potsdam women’s lacrosse team (4-11, 0-7) on the Bears’ Senior Day. Bengals’ junior Karen Shadduck (Corning, N.Y./Corning East) had a game-high eight points with four goals and four assists. Junior Sierra Langkammerer (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) led the Bears with a game-high six goals and also recorded an assist.

Buffalo State opened the game with a 5-0 run, starting just 36 seconds into the contest on a goal by junior Kendyl Clarkson (Painted Post, N.Y./Corning West). Langkammerer got the Potsdam on the board with a free position goal at 25:14. The Bengals answered with the next four goals before Langkammerer struck again at 1:42 with an assist from junior Carly Richards (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna). Buffalo State added another tally 24 seconds later and took a 10-2 lead into the break.

The Bengals started the second half with a 3-0 run, but the Bears offense finally kicked in, responding with a 4-0 run of their own. Langkammerer scored three straight starting at 18:37 and junior Maribeth Simmons (Clinton, Conn./The Morgan School) netted the fourth at 13:12 to cut the Buffalo State advantage to 13-6. That would be as close as Potsdam would get as the Bengals got three of the contest’s final five goals. Langkammerer got her sixth at 10:56 and then set up Richards for the final goal with just one second remaining in the game.

Junior goalie Kacie Milligan (Liverpool, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) stopped eight shots for the Bears, while Buffalo State senior Ashley O’Brien (Penfield, N.Y./Honeoye Falls) made 10 saves for the win. Clarkson finished with a goals and five assists for the Bengals, while sophomore Ashley Caporizzo (Liverpool, N.Y./Cicero-N. Syracuse) added four goals and an assist and senior Molly Seifritz (Liverpool, N.Y./Henninger) chipped in four goals. Potsdam’s Richards finished the day with a goal and three assists.

Despite the loss, Bears Head Coach Lauren Bruce was pleased with the way her team raised its game after a rough start.

"We had a slow start but our defense picked it up and we started controlling more possessions,” Bruce said. “Our offense got a couple goals and then we started getting more draws and clears. The whole team picked up its confidence (as the game went on)."

Bruce also had praise for her two seniors.

"Sam (Brown) (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) and Kathleen (Frear) (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia-Glennville) are always aggressive and they play to win,” added Bruce. “They cause mistakes by the opposition, and they're the loudest voices in pushing their teammates to play better. They encourage others, point out match-ups, and give confidence to our younger players."

Potsdam finishes its’ 2011 campaign at home against New Paltz at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26.