ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Oneonta women's lacrosse team used a dominant first half and balanced offensive attack to defeat Buffalo State, 12-6, on Wednesday afternoon at Red Dragon Field.
Oneonta (8-5, 5-3) came out firing, scoring five goals in the opening quarter to seize early control. Sophomore Angelina Weinert (Levittown, NY/Division Avenue) led the charge with two early goals, both assisted by senior Chelsea Dodenhoff (Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip), as the Red Dragons built a 5-0 advantage after the first 15 minutes.
The momentum continued into the second quarter, where freshman Ava Fitzsimons (Pearl River, NY/Pearl River) netted a pair of goals to help extend the lead to 7-1 at halftime. Oneonta's defense and goalkeeper Margot Haring (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks) were equally strong early, limiting Buffalo State to just one goal through the first half.
Buffalo State (9-5, 4-3) responded with a five-goal third quarter to cut into the deficit, trimming the margin to 9-6. However, Oneonta answered with timely scoring, including another goal from Weinert and a free-position strike from Fitzsimons to maintain control heading into the final period.
In the fourth, the Red Dragons pulled away for good. Weinert completed her four-goal performance, while Dodenhoff and sophomore Marissa Vallese (Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City) each added goals to seal the 12-6 victory.
Weinert paced the offense with four goals, while Fitzsimons added three goals, including two on free-position attempts. Dodenhoff contributed a well-rounded performance with two goals and three assists, and freshman Madison DeAngelis (Hamilton, NY/Hamilton Central) dished out three assists. Vallese chipped in two goals, and freshman Emily McIntee (East Islip, NY/East Islip) added another.
Haring earned the win in goal with nine saves, anchoring a defensive effort that forced 17 turnovers and held Buffalo State scoreless in the first and fourth quarters.
For Buffalo State, Kira Grzechowiak, Bri Struck, and Vanessa Willick each scored twice, but the Bengals were unable to overcome Oneonta's fast start.
The Red Dragons finished with advantages in shots (34-22), ground balls (18-15), and clears (21-for-23), showcasing a complete performance on both ends of the field in the conference victory.
Oneonta closes out the regular season against Plattsburgh on Wednesday, April 22 at 4 p.m. for senior day.
