OSWEGO, N.Y. – Oswego Field Hockey returned home after last weekend's road trip to host the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons in a crucial SUNYAC matchup. Looking to keep hopes of a playoff spot alive, the Lakers meant business from the starting center pass. A quiet opening quarter would allow both teams to settle in, but neither found a way to break the 0-0 scoreline. As play resumed in the 2nd quarter, the Dragons caught the Lakers on their heels and tallied the first goal of the match. Oneonta would maintain their mere 1-0 lead for much of the rest of the game, until a final offensive surge by opposing forward Alexandra Howell secured a 2-0 win for the Red Dragons.  

THE BASICS 
 
Final Score:  

Oswego 0 (4-9, 0-3 SUNYAC) 

Oneonta 2 (8-4, 2-1 SUNYAC) 

 
Location: Laker Turf Stadium | Oswego, N.Y.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 

An assertive start by the Lakers would make it difficult for the Red Dragons to create consistent offense but would not stop them from challenging Oswego net minder Sam Krautheim with a handful of early shots and passing plays in the circle. While the beginning minutes dissipated into the core of the first quarter, both teams would trade possession and fouls, keeping the score deadlocked 0-0. A final offensive surge by the Lakers would nearly earn them a penalty corner but would eventually be returned to the midfield just before the initial buzzer.  

As play resumed, the Dragons and Lakers were equally eager to contribute to the scoreboard, generating multiple quality scoring chances in the opening minutes. A quick start off a foul, by Oneonta, would catch the Oswego defense on their heels, giving opposing forward Molly Miller a lane to the net. Getting ahold of a scoop shot, Miller tallied the first goal of the day just moments into the 2nd quarter. Unphased, the Lakers did not hesitate to regain offensive positioning on the following play. A nice take by sophomore Julia Unger would award the Lakers the first set of penalty corners of the match, but a successful defensive turn allowed the Dragons to survive both attempts and clear the ball out to their forwards. With neither team able to evade the other, the 1-0 scoreline would persist into halftime.  

Determined to extend their mere lead, the Red Dragons wasted no time finding their legs on offense after the intermission. Shutdown once again by a united Laker front, Oneonta retracted back on defense as Oswego quickly headed North. Not more than six minutes into the third quarter, the elevated pace of play forced both teams to utilize their benches in order to stay fresh on the field. In doing so, the final minutes of the quarter granted Oswego with a man-up opportunity and Oneonta with a compilation of promising scoring plays, but none of the two managed to add to the scoresheet. 

 The intense pace of the third was picked back up in the final frame, with the Red Dragons earning a penalty corner almost immediately. A sequence of back-to-back blocks by the Laker defensemen not only frustrated Oneonta's hungry offense, but would also take some weight off the shoulders of Krautheim in net. Finally given the chance to clear out of their zone, a hefty drive by junior Julia Alvey would send her teammates into Oneonta's zone where they would secure a key corner opportunity. Unfortunately, they were not able to capitalize on the opportunity. As the clock began to tick down, Oswego stayed vigilant, but despite their relentless effort on defense, Oneont secured a 2-0 win for the Dragons with just over a minute left.  

WHAT'S NEXT 

Oswego Field Hockey will head south to Rochester, N.Y. this Thursday, October 16th to face off against the Robert Wesleyan Red Hawks. The match is set to kick off at 4:00PM on Red Hawks Field. Go Lakers! 

Written By: Matilda Pethrick 

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