The women’s lacrosse team got off on the right foot in their SUNYAC home opener as they powered past Potsdam, taking the 12-8 win on Saturday at Coyer Field.

A four-goal performance from attacker Sarah Lorusso pushed the Bengals past Potsdam. The Bengals improved to 2-5 (1-0 SUNYAC). Alanna Herne, Kendra Thomas and Meghan Farrell added two goals each. Colleen George posted a season-high 12 saves.

“She (George) really stepped up for us and it was important for us to be successful,” head coach Lindsey Abbott said.

The Bears outshot the Bengals 30 to 23, had an 18 to 13 advantage in ground balls and a 13 to 9 lead in draw controls, but the only statistic that mattered was the amount of shots that reached the back of the net.

“We are not too worried with numbers at this point as long as we get the win,” Abbott said. “It can become an issue and we will adjust based on our surroundings, but for now it’s good to come out with a win.”

The Bears started off with two quick goals in the opening minutes of the game, but the Bengals countered with three goals of their own following a key timeout called by Abbott.

Farrell’s third goal put the Bengals ahead and they held onto it, stymying any attempt at a rally from Potsdam.

“Coming out, they got off to a quick start,” Abbott said. “But the timeout really settled things down, and they did a great job of wrapping the game up and holding the lead early.”

Prior to the Potsdam game, Buffalo State went on a two-game road trip to California. The feeling amongst the team is that despite losses in both games, the experience was beneficial.

“California was beautiful, and I definitely miss the warm weather right now,” Farrell said. “Our team has always been close, but on the trip we finally started connecting on the field, which helped us get the win on Saturday.”

Last Tuesday, they faced Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, California and lost 6-5. George felt the loss was one of the most important experiences of the trip.

“We fought really hard during the Pomona-Pitzer game, and although we didn’t win, it was a positive note to end the trip on,” George said. “We came out even hungrier for a win on Saturday because of it.”

Farrell, a senior and a captain who has three seasons under her belt at Buffalo State, is ready to dive into the SUNYAC schedule.

“We are really starting to build momentum and get a feel for the season now, and it’s exciting because we are just starting our conference games,” Farrell said. “The biggest thing that we are doing well is we are starting to trust each other and work as a unit. It’s really been making a difference.”

The Bengals were originally scheduled to play Geneseo on Tuesday, but that game has been postponed to Thursday, April 9due to unplayable field conditions. They will instead take on Allegheny on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Coyer Field in a game that was rescheduled from March 2.

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