PLATTSBURGH, NY, - The Wesleyan women's basketball team opened their season playing in the Plattsburugh State Tip-off Classic in Plattsburgh, New York. The Cardinals lost the opener to Potsdam in a trilling back and forth overtime battle that ended with Potsdam defeating Wesleyan 72-68. This is the first of two games that the Cardinals will play in the tournament, finishing with a game against the host Plattsburgh State on November 12^th. The leading scorer for the Cardinals was Brooke Guiffre '23 who dropped a career high 23 points to lead the Cardinals. Wesleyan starts the season 0-1, while Potsdam opens their season with a win.

The Cardinals lost their three top scorers from last season in Caleigh Ryan, Maddie Clark and Marina Petruzzi from the 2021-22 season. One of the returners, Brooke Guiffre will be looked upon to not only increase her point total, but will be tasked with leadership duties as well. Guiffre finished her first game as a senior scoring 23 points on 8-17 shooting (2-9 3pt). During her team-leading 41 minutes of action, the senior guard added four assists while also contributing a career-high six steals on the defensive end.

Guiffre was surrounded by a few familiar faces in the starting lineup in Tori DaCosta '25 and Maggie Lee '23. DaCosta started seven games for the Cards last year, while Lee played the role of 6^th (wo)man coming off the bench yet averaging the 4^th most minutes per game on the team. DaCosta controlled the glass, bringing in 12 rebounds on the night while also being efficient from the field (5-10 FG, 10 points). The sophomore forward recorded her 3^rd career double-double, along with tying a career-high with three assists. Lee struggled shooting (2-14 FG, seven points) however contributed on the glass with eight rebounds and defensively with two steals.

Wesleyan's other contributors on the day were: Alana Jones '24 (eight points, three rebounds), Olivia Quinn '26 (nine points, seven rebounds), and Lena Benway '25 (six points, two rebounds). Potsdam was led by Dyamon Hunter who put through a game-high 30 points (11-20 FG, 3-5 3pt). She also contributed nine rebounds and three assists.

Guiffre got the scoring going for the Cardinals, putting up the first three baskets of the season for Wesleyan. Wesleyan went on a 9-1 run late in the first quarter to extend their lead to nine, but a last second three-point jumper by Hunter cut the Bears deficit to six after one period of play.

Wesleyan extended their lead to as much as nine in the second quarter, but once again Potsdam was able to cut into the lead right before the break. Quinn's layup with 1:57 remaining in the half extended the Cardinals lead to nine, but a pair of late Bears' buckets trimmed it back to six going into the half.

Wesleyan came out aggressive on offense in the 2^nd half, holding their largest lead of the game at 12 at the 8:11 mark of the 3^rd quarter. The Bears fought back, but Wesleyan was able to finish the quarter strong to hold an eight-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes. In the 4^th, Potsdam opened with a 12-4 run headlined by a handful of layups to tie the game with 5:28 remaining.

The Bears took their first lead of the game less than a minute later on a Jakia Howard free throw. The game would go back and forth over the final four minutes of regulation. Guiffre and Hunter would trade free throws with under a minute to go to send the game into overtime. In overtime there was four lead changes, eventually leading to Potsdam taking control with 1:40 left. They would hold onto the lead from there with Hunter and Mandy Barnell clinching the win with free throws down the stretch.

Wesleyan will play again in the Plattsburgh State Tip-off Classic Saturday, November 12^th against the host Plattsburgh State who defeated SUNY Cobleskill in their first game of the tournament.