OSWEGO, N.Y. — After a 12-5 loss versus Brockport on April 16, the Oswego State Men’s Lacrosse team looks to find their first win of the condensed 2021 season with a battle against the Geneseo Knights. Although the Lakers have not won a game this season, they hold the record in history against the knights with 22 wins and 21 losses with the first matchup being in 1980. This will be the first game of a home and home series against Geneseo as they are scheduled to play the Knights on Saturday, April 24 at the College Stadium in Geneseo.
The history between these two teams have been extra competitive with their last matchup being in 2019 due to the cancelled season in 2020 and yielding a Knights win by a score of 14 to 13 despite a second half 10 goal push by the Lakers. Oswego is 2-8 since 2010 versus Geneseo in general and 10-11 at home against the Knights in history. As the Lakers look to salvage what is left of their season with three games remaining, they will turn to freshman midfielder Lucas Cloch who leads the team in points with 6 goals and 4 assists as well as rely on the man in between the pipes Kevin O’Donnell. The senior looks to stay strong to wrap up his career at Oswego State with 55 saves already on the season. Today’s SUNYAC West division matchup is set for 4:00 p.m. at the Laker Turf Stadium with WTOP 10 covering all the action from today’s contest.
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Lakers’ Losing Streak Extends to Three Games
OSWEGO, N.Y. – The Oswego State Lakers’ men’s hockey team couldn’t snap its two-game losing skid, falling 4-1 to the Geneseo Knights. The Lakers had far more scoring chances, outshooting the Knights 30-to-24 and had four power plays. However, Oswego State couldn’t capitalize on those opportunities.
Senior forward Matt McQuade picked up the lone goal for the Lakers. Freshman goalie Michael Manzi recorded 20 saves (.870 save percentage) in the loss.
Oswego State came out slow in the first period, generating only one shot on goal within the first five minutes. Geneseo created numerous turnovers in their defensive zone while the Lakers struggled to get off accurate passes.
The Knights took advantage of Oswego State’s lack of offensive production with 6:19 left in the period. Sophomore defenseman Nick Kovacs blasted a slap shot past Manzi’s left leg pad, breaking the scoreless tie.
Kovacs’s goal was the only one of the frame. Geneseo entered the second period with a nine-to-five shots on goal advantage.
The Lakers turned things up a notch offensively to start the second period. Five minutes into the frame, they were outshooting the Knights five-to-two thanks to Oswego State having a five-on-three power play. However, they were unable to convert.
Although the Lakers’ chemistry improved as the frame went along, Geneseo extended its lead. With 9:50 left in the frame, junior forward Carter Diceman buried a wrap-around shot into the bottom right corner of the cage.
Oswego State continued to develop high-quality scoring opportunities. However, the team was unable to cut into the Knights’ lead by the end of the period. The Lakers outshot Geneseo 17-to-seven in the frame.
The third period gave some hope for Oswego State. While the Lakers were shorthanded with 16:11 left in the contest, McQuade buried the loose puck on a breakaway attempt to cut the lead to 2-1.
Although Oswego State continued to apply offensive pressure on the Knights for the rest of the way, junior goalie Jacob Torgner stood on his head. Torgner finished the night with 29 saves (.967 save percentage).
Whatever life was in Deborah F. Stanley Arena was gone after Geneseo responded to McQuade’s goal. Sophomore forward Ryan Forberg sniped the top right corner of the cage from the slot with 8:42 left in the game.
To ice the game, junior forward Luke Panchisin scored an empty netter with 2:21 left on the clock.
The Lakers fall to 14-5-2 this season and remain in second in the SUNYAC. As for the Knights, they improved to 14-6-1 and sit in second in the UCHC.
The Lakers will hit the road to take on Cortland next Friday. Oswego State blanked the Red Dragons 3-0 on Saturday, Jan. 10. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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Oswego State Men’s Lacrosse Falls to Geneseo
OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Oswego State Lakers Men’s Lacrosse team came into Thursday’s matchup versus the Geneseo Knights eager to end their four game losing streak and find their first win of the season. However, Geneseo would beat Oswego 19-8 in the contest. The Lakers did not find the back of the net till 25 seconds remaining in the first quarter after a goal by junior and team captain Weston Gray. The Knights were led by James Pratt who had two goals and an assist in the first quarter alone and six goals and two assists total on the day. Pratt as well as junior attack Kevin Cook contributed to most of the goals for Geneseo as he had 5 tallies and one assist on the day. Senior goaltending sensation Kevin O’Donnell was able to hold this Knights powerful offense throughout most of the contest. The netminder was able to make 25 stops on 44 Geneseo shots on goal including 17 saves in just the 2nd quarter alone. Gray was able to snap his offensive slump throughout the past few games as he led the way in scoring with 5 goals and 1 assist for a total of 6 points and set his career high in goals and points in an individual game for his college career.
The Lakers now fall to 0-5 on the season and look to rebound on Saturday for a potential first win of the season against the same team but this time down in Geneseo. As for the Knights, they now improve to 3-3 on the season and 3-1 in the conference and are currently tied for first place in the west division. The Knights and Lakers will battle once again with a first place seed on the line for the Knights and for the Lakers the chance to split the season series and get a win on the road, faceoff is scheduled for 1pm at the Geneseo College Stadium on Saturday, April 24th.
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Softball loses five over hard weekend matchups
OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Oswego State softball team played six games over four days this weekend. A Friday double header in New Paltz against the Hawks was followed by a Saturday double header in Oneonta with the Red Dragons, the team had a day off Sunday, but played another double header at home against the Plattsburgh Cardinals Monday.
Friday’s first game in New Paltz saw the Hawks grab an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Two two-out singles were followed by a triple, bringing that brought both runners home to open the scoring. In the bottom of the second the Hawks would strike again. A two-out double was followed by a single. A throwing error would bring home the lead runner, and another triple would bring home the other runner. No more runs would be scored until the seventh inning, where the Lakers finally found the score sheet. Two one-out singles were followed by Madison Hoeflich reaching on an error, that would score the first runner of the inning for the Lakers. Ellie Mahoney then grounded out the the Shortstop, but would bring home another run. A Samantha Morgan double brought home the third run of the inning for the Lakers, but the scoring would end there, and Oswego fell 4-3. The Lakers only had four hits on the day, no batter having more than one, and a lone walk. Freshman Maria Lutz pitched all six innings for Oswego, allowing four runs, nine hits, two walks, and striking out two.
Game two of the double header was a more convincing win for New Paltz. The Hawks scored one in the first, but Oswego would match the run the second on a Ellie Mahoney single. Errors in the bottom half of the second brought home two more runs, and a two out double in the third brought home run number four for the Hawks. The bottom of the fourth was started by a single for New Paltz which was followed by a double driving home the run. Oswego got two consecutive pop-outs after, but a single drove home the sixth run. Oswego held New Paltz scoreless in the fifth, but three runs in the sixth triggered the mercy rule, and the game ended 9-1 in favor of the Hawks. Zoe Mennig led the Lakers with two hits, and Madison Hoeflich led the Lakers with two walks. Fiona Higgins had a rough day on the mound. She allowed fifteen hits, nine runs, eight earned, and walked three, she would strike out six.
The Lakers took the two hour trip to Oneonta for the Saturday double header. The Lakers found the scoreboard in the top of the first in game one. Tai Smith led off with a walk, and she was moved to second by a sac bunt. Taylor Dubois hit a double moving Smith to third, and a fielder’s choice in the next at bat scored the run. The Lakers held the Red Dragons scoreless until the third inning, when a lead off triple would be driven in by a sac fly to tie the game. Oneonta scored once more in the fourth inning, and twice more in the fifth. In the sixth, a two out single, then stole second and was driven in by a double. Oswego wouldn’t score in the seventh, and the game ended 5-1 Oneonta. Taylor Dubois led Oswego with two hits. Tai Smith got on base three times, a hit and a team leading two walks. Maria Lutz pitched all six innings once again, allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits and no walks, striking out two.
Game two of the second double header saw Oneonta grab a big lead in the bottom of the first, scoring four. The next run wouldn’t be scored until the top of the third, when Taylor Dubois hit a lead off double and was then drive in by Zoe Mennig’s double in the next at bat. A scoreless fourth was followed by a scoreless top of the fifth, and the Red Dragons broke the scoreless streak in the bottom of the fifth, crossing the plate once. Oneonta grabbed two more in the bottom of the sixth, and the Lakers, trying to rally could only manage one in the top of the seventh, a Zoe Mennig solo shot to left, and the Red Dragons took game two, 7-2. Samantha Morgan led the Lakers, going three for three at the plate. Zoe Mennig drove in both runs for Oswego. Madison Hoeflich got the start for the Lakers, but only pitched one inning, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits, striking out two. Chelsea Sellars pitched the remaining five innings for Oswego, allowing three runs, one earned, on six hits, and four strike outs.
The Lakers took a much needed day off Sunday, and took to the diamond for two more Monday to take on the Cardinals of Plattsburgh. The Cardinals went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, and the Lakers struck first in the bottom half. The first two batters would get out, then Taylor Dubois and Zoe Mennig would reach on errors. Fiona Higgins drove in both with a double. The second inning was scoreless, and Plattsburgh grabbed their first run in the top of the third on an error. Two more scoreless innings brought the game to the sixth, where the Cardinals struck again. The Lakers committed two errors to start the inning, allowing two runners on base. A single by the next batter loaded the bases, and another single drove in the first run of the inning, second of the game for the Cardinals. A pop out to second got out number one of the inning, and a fly out to center got the second out, but also drove in the runner from third, for the third run of the game and the lead for Plattsburgh. Another single drove in the fourth run, and the walk that followed reloaded the bases. Another single brought home two more, and Plattsburgh got out of the inning with a 6-2 lead. Oswego wouldn’t score after the first, and lost the game. Fiona Higgins led Oswego with two hits and two RBIs. Maria Lutz pitched all seven innings, doing the whole game for the third time over the weekend. She allowed six runs, two earned, do to three errors on the Lakers. Lutz struck out four and walked three during the game
The Lakers finally turned things around in game two of the double header, and the final one of the weekend. The Lakers scored three times in the bottom of the first on hits by Zoe Mennig and Fiona Higgins. Neither team would score until Oswego did in the bottom of the fifth. Fiona Higgins drove in the fourth run for Oswego on a double, and in the next at bat, Madison Hoeflich brought in one more on a single. The Lakers scored two more in the inning on a single and a sacrifice hit, bringing their total to seven in the game. Zoe Mennig brought in one more run in the bottom of the sixth, triggering the mercy rule. Zoe Mennig went 4-4 at the plate, driving in two runs, and scoring two of her own. Fiona Higgins was the star of the day though. She went 2-3 at the plate driving in three runs, and pitched six scoreless innings, striking out six, while only allowing two hits and two walks.
The Lakers get the next three days off, until the play a double header Friday against the Brockport golden eagles at home, game one set to start at 3:00 P.M. They play their final series of the season against Geneseo at home Saturday with a double header. The lakers now sit a 9-22 (4-10 SUNYAC). They are currently eighth in the SUNYAC, two games back of Fredonia in the six seed, the final spot in the SUNYAC playoffs.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OSWEGO ATHLETICS
