OSWEGO, NY — Men’s Hockey returns home after a successful trip to the North Country last weekend. The Laker’s wins over Potsdam and Plattsburgh secures the team in second place in the SUNYAC standings behind Geneseo, their competition Friday night. The Knights are currently ranked in third in the nation as the team holds a 15-3-2 record. Geneseo is coming off two wins in central New York as the team defeated Morrisville 6-0 and 8-3. However, Geneseo is only two points ahead of Oswego in the standings as the Lakers have played on less conference game than the Knights. This battle Friday is set to decide who will take the first seed heading into the playoffs. With Oswego not being ranked nationally, the Lakers only chance to make the NCAA tournament this season is through the conference’s automatic bid, in which the team must go through Geneseo to do so.
The last time these two teams met was back in November when the Lakers traveled to Geneseo for a Saturday night faceoff. However, the 1-9 loss was a major setback to the season as the team would go on a three game losing streak all against nationally ranked teams. But Oswego currently is on a three game win streak that has been on the back of new starting goalie Steven Kozikoski.
Friday Night’s game will be the first game of the second semester as students are back on campus. You can expect a packed Marano Campus Center as Oswego hasn’t beaten the Knights since the 2017-18 season. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. and coverage can be found on WTOP 10 and WNYO.
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Oswego State Softball Gets Set For Home Opener
OSWEGO, N.Y. — Oswego Softball plays their first games in over two weeks, when they play their home opening doubleheader Friday, April 9th against Geneseo at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The Lakers come in 1-1 after a doubleheader split at RIT back on Monday, March 22nd.
First pitch in game one will mark the first home game of Gabrielle Rivers’ head coaching career. Rivers was an assistant coach for four years at Le Moyne, and was hired as the Lakers softball head coach in the summer of 2019. The Lakers softball team did not compete in a single game before the 2020 season was cancelled, and this will be their first home game since April 22nd, 2019. The Lakers had 6 games over an 11 day period either cancelled or postponed, as Friday’s doubleheader marks the Lakers return to action. The Lakers had standouts at the plate in the doubleheader at RIT 18 days ago, Zoe Mennig was 4-7 with a double, 4 RBIs and a run, Madelana Wrubel was 2-5 with 2 doubles and 2 runs, and Taylor DuBois was 2-6 with 3 RBIs. Oswego also got a major contribution on the rubber from pitcher Madison Hoeflich who threw a 7 inning complete game in which she allowed 7 hits and 3 runs in the win. Look for the three batters to make a contribution Friday, and Hoeflich to shutdown opposing batters if she is called upon to start.
The Laker bats face a tall task in this 2-1 Geneseo Knights team. Geneseo was picked first in the preseason SUNYAC coaches poll, and while the Knights have been lacking with the bat, their pitching has been phenomenal. Geneseo is 2-1 even though they have scored 8 runs total through 3 games, and have scored only 1 run twice. Lauren Kersch won SUNYAC Pitcher of the Week after throwing a complete game and only allowing one run and one hit, which both came on a solo home run. Besides the one pitch, Kersch dominated University of Rochester in her first collegiate start, and looks like she can be an elite level arm for the Knights for years to come. Kersch has not been the only arm that has been dominant for the Knights, Nicole Schwartz who threw game one of Geneseo’s doubleheader at Rochester, also threw a complete game, she allowed 6 hits but did not allow a run.
Oswego Softball plays for the first time in 18 days, and plays their first home game in nearly 2 years on Friday, April 9th at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. against Geneseo. Viewers can check out all the action on WTOP 10.
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A Preview of the 2020 Pathfinder Bank/Oswego State Hockey Classic
OSWEGO, NY — In the first weekend of the new decade, Men’s Hockey welcomes in three out of conference teams to the 2020 Pathfinder Bank/Oswego State Hockey Classic. The 14th edition of the four team tournament is set to begin this Friday as the Lakers look to defend the title. This year, the competition is set to feature three nationally ranked programs, #9 University of New England, #10 Oswego, #14 Williams College, along with Saint Mary’s University traveling in from Minnesota. The Lakers, who currently sit atop the SUNYAC conference with an overall record of 7-3, will face the Saint Mary’s Cardinals at 7 p.m. on Friday in the semifinal round. The 3-5-1 Cardinals look to build on their win over Gustavus Adolphus College back on December 7th, while Oswego looks to bring home some recent success that was found on the road. #9 University of New England and #14 Williams college will face off before hand at 4 p.m. which will feature an offensive talented group from UNE against the defensive Ephs of Williams college. Tickets are being sold online for each day, WTOP 10 also has you covered all weekend with coverage of all four games from the Marano Campus Center.
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Men’s Hockey lose two amidst tough stretch
UTICA, NY – The #7 ranked Oswego State Men’s hockey team has hit a rough patch in their season, losing their last three games. After losing to Skidmore two weekends ago in the Skidmore Thanksgiving Invitational, their Lakers returned to home ice Friday night to take on the Morrisville Mustangs on Teddy Bear Toss night.
Morrisville took the early lead in the game. In the fourth minute of game action, the Mustangs put one past net-minder Cal Schell for the first goal of the game. It look less than ten seconds for Morrisville to double their lead, and the Lakers found themselves with an uphill climb to get back and win the game. Despite being down, the Lakers led the period in shots, 9-7, three of them coming by way of Tommy Cahill. Schell ended the period with five saves. The Lakers dominated the face-off circle winning 13 of 15 opportunities.
The Lakers started their fight back in the second period. It started slow, a penalty by Ryan Dickinson at the five minute mark put the Mustangs on the man advantage, but the Lakers killed it, allowing no shots. Just past the half way mark Trent Grimshaw scored, sending the teddy bears flying onto the ice. All the stuffed animals collected were donated to Toys for Tots. The goal was assisted by Ryan Dickinson and Tommy Cahill. Neither team would score the rest of the period. Oswego again led in shots, 8-6, and was led by Cahill and Colabufo with two each. Schell had another six saves.
The third period saw Morrisville have two penalties, first a tripping call seven minutes in, and then their second too many players on the ice call of the game in the seventeenth minute. The Lakers couldn’t capitalize on either penalty only getting one shot off in the first and none in the second. They finished 0-3 on the Powerplay in the game. Oswego pulled goalie Cal Schell in the final minutes of the game, and the Mustangs used that to their advantage, scoring the empty netter with just 1:30 remaining the contest. Morrisville handed the Lakers their first conference loss of the season, and their second loss in a row. Cahill and Colabufo led the team in shots with five each. The Lakers were dominate all game in the face-off circle going an outstanding 25 for 30. Schell had another 11 saves in the final frame, finishing the game with 22.
Oswego took to the road on Saturday night to take on the Utica Pioneers for a matchup of two top 10 teams. The Pioneers came into the ga e ranked #3 in the country and looked to hold their status and one of the best programs in division three. It also happened to be teddy bear toss night in Utica. The Lakers held the game scoreless for a good portion of the first period, but the Pioneers finally got one by Schell. The Pioneers commanded the first period, winning the shot battle 17-5. Schell, back in net, had 16 saves.
The Pioneers took over the in the second frame. Nine minutes in the they scored their second of the game. Two minutes later they scored their third. They scored their fourth with less than two remaining in the period. The Lakers took a couple penalties in the period, but were able to kill them, despite going down 4-0. Lakers were again outshot, 15-8, in the period. Schell had another 12 saves.
The Lakers played their most competitive in the third. They were still out-shot 13-10, but that was the closest it was all game. Neither side scored in the period, but it was a very physical one. The squads had dueling penalties just before the fifteen minute mark, but for the Lakers it resulted in a five minute major and game misconduct for Matt McQuade. The sides again had competing penalties with 3:30 to go. Despite everything that happened in the period, Schell finished off an overall good night with another 13 saves, finishing the game with 41 saves. Alex DiCarlo and Connor Sleeth led the Lakers in shots with three each.
With the losing streak, the Lakers fall to 7-4 on the season and 5-1 in the SUNYAC. They have one more weekend of games before they get a couple weeks off. Next weekend they take to the road for a game against the Buffalo State Bengals on Friday and stay on the road for a game against Fredonia on Saturday. Puck drop is set for 7:00 P.M. for both games. The are currently #7 in the USCHO poll, but expect to fall with the losses.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MICHELLE QUIACHON, WTOP10 PHOTOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT.
