PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball team showed mettle in weathering a late comeback by Oswego State in the fourth quarter, as the Cardinals eked out a 62-57 win over the Lakers in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Friday night at Memorial Hall.
 
Though Plattsburgh State held a five-point lead heading into the final quarter of play, the Lakers scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to draw within one. The Cardinals then erupted for an 11-0 spurt, and back-to-back layups by senior guard Moe Jones (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) and freshman forward Becca Mahon (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) staked Plattsburgh State to a 58-46 lead with 3:22 to go in regulation.
 
Oswego began forcing turnovers, whittling the deficit down to four after netting eight straight points. After Jones extended the lead to five, the Lakers converted on a layup and went 1-of-2 at the line on their ensuing trip down the floor to make it a two-point game with 43 seconds left. Jones came down with the rebound on the second free throw, and Plattsburgh State proceeded to run the clock down until Oswego fouled. The Cardinals went 3-of-4 at the line in the final 24 seconds of play to pull out the victory.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 7-6 overall (3-4 SUNYAC) with the win and next hosts SUNY Cortland tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Memorial Hall. At halftime of the 2 p.m. men's game, the Cardinals will be signing autographs for Clinton County youths as a part of Meet the Cardinals Day. With some student-athletes unable to make the signing at halftime of the men's game, those who were not at the initial signing will be made available for autographs after the women's game. Oswego drops to 5-9 overall (2-5 SUNYAC) with the loss and closes out its North Country trip tomorrow at SUNY Potsdam at 4 p.m.
 
The Cardinals had the upper hand for much of the first quarter, jumping out to a 9-5 lead. The Lakers closed the period with six unanswered points, though, leading 11-9 after one period of play. Oswego continued to hold a small advantage in the second quarter until Plattsburgh State rattled off six straight points to close the stanza, and a layup by junior guard/forward Hope Cerasuolo (Johnstown, N.Y./Johnstown) with 38 seconds remaining gave the Cardinals a 23-21 lead heading into the locker rooms.
 
Plattsburgh State led by as many as six points in the third quarter before a 9-2 Laker surge gave Oswego a 35-34 advantage. Both offenses came alive in the latter stages of the third, with the Cardinals closing the period on a 13-7 run to bring a 47-42 edge into the fourth quarter.
 
The difference in the contest came with regard to ball control, as Plattsburgh State forced Oswego into 21 turnovers while committing just 12 of its own. Oswego shot 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the floor on the evening while holding a 45-40 cushion in rebounds. Plattsburgh State shot 32.4 percent (22-of-68) from the field but made up for it at the line, shooting 77.8 percent (14-of-18) from the charity stripe.
 
Plattsburgh State relied on a trio of strong performances from post players in the victory. Freshman forward Taylor Clare (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) scored a career-high-tying 14 points, while freshman guard/forward Olivia Souky (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) netted a career-high 13 points and added nine rebounds. Coming off the bench, Mahon poured in a career-high 11 points. Senior guard Jax Miller (Argyle, N.Y./Argyle) helped keep the offense moving with five assists, while Jones helped out the Cardinals' defense with five steals.
 
For Oswego, senior forward Heather Hebert led the way with a double-double (18 points, 15 rebounds), while senior guard Mary Mazzella and junior guard Courtney Ameele chipped in with 13 and 11 points, respectively.