Plattsburgh State's defenseman Emma Killeen (28) unleashes a shot from the right faceoff circle toward Middlebury goaltender Lin Han.The Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey team avenged its only loss so far this season with a 4-1 victory over the Middlebury Panthers Tuesday at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena. The No. 1 Cardinals entered the contest on a nine-game winning streak since losing in the final of the Panther/Cardinal Classic Dec. 1, while the No. 2 Panthers boasted an undefeated 10-0-2 record. Plattsburgh had to weather a storm early on, as Middlebury maintained offensive zone possession for nearly all of the first eight minutes of the game. A strong defensive performance by the team, including several blocked shots, meant that this territorial advantage resulted in only one shot on goal for the Panthers. Momentum swung in favor of the Cardinals at the 8:01 mark, when Middlebury defenseman Anna Zumwinkle was called for body checking. Reigning NEWHL player of the week Sara Krauseneck took advantage, putting a shot from just above the goal line behind the far post. Plattsburgh scored the eventual game-winner in the final minute of the first period when Madison Walker won the quick battle for a rebound in the slot and passed it to a wide-open Nicole Unsworth, putting Middlebury goaltender Lin Han out of position and unable to make another save. The only goal of the second period came at the 18:02 mark after Han made a spectacular shoulder save on a goal-bound shot from the high slot by Kaitlin Drew-Mead. As the Middlebury defense scrambled to clear the rebound, the puck found its way to Drew-Mead. She passed it to Walker, who hit the top glove-side corner with a quick wrist shot. A penalty in the dying seconds of the second period gave Middlebury a powerplay entering the final frame, and Eva Hendrickson scored her first of the season to get the Panthers on the board, but the Cardinals’ advantage was too much. Unsworth capped off the night with an unassisted empty-netter after forcing the turnover at the blue line and skating the puck up the ice herself. Han made 30 saves in the losing effort, while Plattsburgh’s Ashley Davis stopped 21 of the 22 shots she faced on the evening. Gallery

Plattsburgh State's captain Madison Walker (17) lets out a roar in celebration of her goal to extend the Cardinals’ lead over Middlebury to three goals in the second period. Gallery