PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The four-time defending national champion Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team showed no signs of rust after just a week of practice, defeating Castleton University, 6-1, in an exhibition game at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The Cardinals spent most of the game playing in their offensive zone, finishing with a 54-15 edge in shots on goal. Special teams opportunities were at a premium in the contest, as both teams went 0-for-3 on the power play. Senior forwards Kayla Meneghin (Clifton, N.J./The Gunnery) and Melissa Sheeran (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Millbrook School) both provided a significant spark to the Cardinal offense, with Meneghin tallying three points on two goals and an assist and Sheeran posting three points on one goal and two assists.
Plattsburgh State opens up its 2017-18 regular season against a former Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) West rival in Utica College, as the two teams will square off at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 3 p.m. Castleton kicks off its regular season at home against Becker College on Friday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m.
Meneghin wasted no time getting the Cardinals on the board, scoring just 2:48 into the contest. She received a pass from Sheeran, who was driving down the right wing and centered the puck into the slot. Meneghin then beat the Spartan goalie glove side to put Plattsburgh State on the board.
Castleton countered 5:44 into the first period with an unassisted goal by senior forward Lisa Kilroy, but sophomore forward Meghan Kraus (Bellingham, Wash./Northern Cyclones) netted the eventual game-winner less than four minutes later for Plattsburgh State, as she, too, scored unassisted. Sophomore forward Jen Manning (Marlborough, Mass./Massachusetts Spitfires) scored on passes from Meneghin and Sheeran with 15:21 elapsed in the first period to make it a two-goal game, and 40 seconds later, Meneghin tallied on a feed from junior forward Mackenzie Millen (Anchorage, Alaska/North American Hockey Academy) to hand the Cardinals a 4-1 lead heading into the locker rooms at the first intermission.
Sheeran scored just 1:27 into the second period, as her initial shot was saved before Kraus picked up the rebound and ripped it right back to Sheeran, who was at the left edge of the right face-off circle. Sheeran went five-hole on the Spartan netminder to hand Plattsburgh State a 5-1 advantage. Finally, freshman defenseman Kayla Goleniak (Canton, Mich./Detroit Little Caesers) rounded out scoring in the contest late in the third period, uncorking a slap shot from the left point. Senior defenseman Lizzy Viola (Williamsville, N.Y./Buffalo Bisons) and Manning were credited with assists on the goal.
Junior goaltender Kassi Abbott (North Billerica, Mass./Boston Shamrocks Elite) made nine stops in the first two periods of play and earned the win for the Cardinals, while senior goaltender Brooke Wolejko (South Windsor, Conn./St. Lawrence University) posted five saves in holding Castleton scoreless in the third. For Castleton, junior goaltender Rylie Willis turned aside 22 shots in 31:12 of action before handing the reins off to sophomore goaltender Alexis Kalm, who had 26 saves against just one goal allowed in the final 28:48.
