Oswego, N.Y. – The Oswego State Lakers hosted Brockport Golden Eagles on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in their first conference matchup of the season, looking to kick off the season with a victory.
Both teams came out with high energy, battling for possession from the opening whistle. The ball was moving all over the field with the Oswego defensive line, repeatedly clearing the ball out of its own end. The fast-playing turf favored Brockport, allowing the Golden Eagles to reach loose balls quickly and generate consistent offensive pressure.
Brockport moved the ball efficiently through the midfield, creating several scoring opportunities. Oswego defender Grace Clary made a great play by sliding to knock the ball out of bounds during a one-on-one chance inside the box. Shortly after this play the first goal of the game was scored by Ameila Breton due to her great speed off a nice ball that came up the middle of the field about midway into the first half.
The Lakers responded with increased pressure, making several strong runs toward goal but coming up just short. The match became increasingly physical, and Oswego suffered a major setback when Clary left the game after taking a hard hit. Her absence created a noticeable gap in the Lakers’ defensive line.
Brockport wasted little time extending its lead in the second half as Brianna Marino scored early to make it 2-0. They made it clear they were here to win. Oswego’s challenges continued when Julia Carter exited the match following a hard hit after heading the ball.
The Golden Eagles sealed the victory late in the match when Alana Yahoutdy tapped in a corner kick to make it 3-0. Brockport’s strong offensive performance and disciplined defense earned the Golden Eagles a 3-0 conference-opening victory over Oswego.
Photo Credits: Lily Jones
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Oswego State Men’s Lacrosse Defeated by Brockport
OSWEGO, N.Y — Oswego State Men’s Lacrosse continued their 2021 season on Friday against SUNY Brockport. The Golden Eagles defeated the Lakers 9-3 at Laker Turf Stadium in a SUNYAC West match up. Oswego kept it close in the first half due to solid goaltending from netminder Kevin O’Donnell. The senior had 16 saves and posted a .640 save percentage, his best performance in between the pipes this season for the Lakers. Oswego trailed 3-2 heading into the second half before Brockport went on a six goal scoring run before Lucas Cioch tallied his sixth goal of the season. The freshman had two points in the contest to continue his point streak which contains four games with multiple point performances. Ryan DoMont also recorded a goal and assist in the contest. Over the course of the 2021 season, the Oswego offense has only scored 21 goals, the least out of any SUNYAC team.
After the loss, the men’s lacrosse team falls to 0-3 in the SUNYAC West Division and trails Brockport who improves to 2-2 in the conference. The Lakers would need to win out to secure the second spot in the division to make it into the SUNYAC Championship. The Geneseo Knights currently hold second with a 2-1 conference record, the team that will face off against Oswego in the next two matchups. Cortland sits in first with a 3-1 record and will host Oswego to wrap up the regular season. Geneseo will travel to Oswego to play the Lakers on April 22nd at 4 p.m. for another conference contest. WTOP 10 will be at Laker Turf Stadium to cover all the action.
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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
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Coach Leone is SUNYAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Decade
OSWEGO, NY — On Thursday, the SUNYAC announced the All-Decade team for Men’s Basketball. Three Lakers would make the team along with Oswego Lakers Head Coach Jason Leone being named the SUNYAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Decade. Leone has been with the Lakers for nine seasons and has coached the team to four SUNYAC championships. The coach has a 181-75 (.707) overall record and a 114-48 (.704) conference record while at the helm of the team. Oswego has been to five NCAA tournaments which includes two trips to the Sweet 16. Coach Leone’s accolades include four SUNY Coach of the Year awards (2012, 2015, 2017, 2019) and three Regional Coach of the Year awards.
The Lakers went 19-8 last season and fell to the Brockport Golden Eagles in the semifinals round of the SUNYAC championship. The team posted a 7-3 home record along with going undefeated in neutral contests. Senior Joe Sullivan led the team with 14.6 points per game in front of freshman standout Jeremiah Sparks. The Men’s Basketball team will return next season after the conference postponed the winter season.
