OSWEGO, N.Y. – Oswego Men's Lacrosse hosted the Clarkson Golden Knights this afternoon at Laker Stadium with plans to regain some positive momentum after a tough 19-9 loss to Skidmore on the road over the weekend. Throughout the game, the Lakers would be tested at both ends of the field by a skilled Clarkson squad. A tenacious effort from both teams would keep the score tied for most of the game. A final offensive surge by the Golden Knights would allow them to pull away with a 8-7 win over the Lakers.  

THE BASICS 
 
Final Score: Oswego 7 (0-3, 0-0 SUNYAC), Clarkson 8 (2-2, 0-0 Liberty League) 
Location: Laker Turf Stadium | Oswego, N.Y. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

After a connected warm-up, the Lakers came out locked in. A loss on the opening faceoff would put Oswego on defense in the opening minutes of play. Clarkson midfielder Andrew Kearney would strike early, putting the Golden Knights up 1-0 at the 13:42 mark. A good save and clear from Laker goalkeeper Seamus Hand would send the Lakers on offense. Junior attackman Corey O'Connor tied up the score at 1 at the 10:40 mark, off a feed from Senior Midfielder Liam Sexton. O'Connor would strike again just 2 minutes later, improving the score to 2-1 at 8:44. As the quarter continued, both teams traded offensive zone time and shooting opportunities, but the score would remain unphased until Clarkson broke through at 4:40 to make the score 3-2.  

The second quarter would open with a faceoff win from Logan Prescott which was picked up by Senior Tyler Stevenson. A quick defensive effort from the Golden Knights would cause the Lakers to turnover the ball and for them to set up on offense. A huge hit on Tyler Stevenson would cause the Lakers to regain possession at 11:53. A nifty goal from Connor Aspinall at 9:42 would keep Oswego trailing by just one goal heading into the latter half of the 2nd quarter. The Lakers settled in on defense as Clarkson kept possession on offense, notching their fifth goal with 2:30 remaining. Despite a connected defensive effort by Oswego, and a few major saves from Hand, the Golden Knights lead with a scoreline of 5-3 at halftime.   

A penalty called on Jackson Cummings would put the Lakers at a disadvantage in the opening minutes of the third quarter. The scoreboard remained the same for three and a half minutes, until Clarkson broke through at the 11:38 mark, extending their lead to 6-3. Oswego responded well, transitioning quickly and scoring back-to-back goals at 7:44 and 7:42, improving the scoreline to 6-5. In the following minutes, the Lakers gained some rhythm on offense, maintaining possession until Corey O'Connor added to the tally once again at 3:40. A solid effort, from both teams, in the final minutes of the third quarter would keep the score at 7-6 heading into the final quarter.  

The physical fourth quarter would start with another faceoff win from Prescott. Both Clarkson and Oswego battled hard on every ground ball and for every shooting opportunity, but the score would remain untouched for the opening 7 minutes of the quarter. A hard push towards the Laker net would allow Andrew Kearney of Clarkson to sneak one by Seamus Hand at 7:47 extending an 8-6 lead. A strategic passing play from a composed Oswego special teams unit led to a seventh goal scored by Garret Elston at the 3:47 mark. As the final minute of play approached, the Lakers were desperate to tie to score at 8, but a skilled Clarkson offensive unit, maintained possession and ran the clock down, pulling away with an 8-7 win over Oswego on the road. 

WHAT'S NEXT 

The Lakers will return to action this Saturday, March 9th when they travel south to face off against the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs at 1:00 PM.  

Written By: Matilda Pethrick 

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