OSWEGO, N.Y. – Oswego Field Hockey returned to home turf after a tough road loss down in Geneseo, to face off against the No.4 nationally ranked Salisbury University Seagulls. With today's matchup set to be a massive test for the Lakers, they needed some positive energy. An assertive start by the Gulls forced Oswego to rely on a disciplined defensive effort and a standout performance from goalkeeper Sam Krautheim early. Salisbury controlled much of the possession pressure throughout the contest, but the Lakers consistently disrupted scoring opportunities, blocking shots and successfully defending multiple penalty corners. The Seagulls broke late in the first quarter on a tip-in goal, which ultimately stood as the game-winner, while Oswego's defense continued to frustrate the Gulls for the remainder of the game. Despite facing sustained pressure and a barrage of corners, the Lakers matched Salisbury's intensity down the stretch, holding the Seagulls to a narrow 1-0 victory.
THE BASICS
Final Score:
Oswego 0 (4-6, 0-1 SUNYAC)
Sailsbury 1 (7-2, 1-0 SUNYAC)
Location: Laker Turf Stadium | Oswego, N.Y.
HOW IT HAPPENED
An aggressive start by Salisbury allowed them to gain immediate access to Oswego's zone with an aerial sent in from midfield. Quick to apply pressure on the defense, the Seagulls would earn their first penalty corner of the game, but a determined Laker front diminished any early opportunities with two blocked shots. Settling into Sailsbury's fast-paced style of play, Oswego held their own in their circle but struggled to maintain possession in the midfield. Netminder Sam Krautheim stood tall in net, rejecting a handful of hard shots put on net by Salisbury's assertive offense. As the first quarter clock began to tick down, the Seagulls gained two more, back-to-back, corner opportunities. A mishandled insert on the first corner would not deter the Gulls, finding the back of the net off a tip-in play on their second chance with under 4 minutes to play. Now up 1-0, Salisbury did not let up, keeping the Lakers on their toes with a few errant shots before the whistle.
Hungry for more, the Seagulls wasted no time reasserting themselves on offense in the 2nd quarter, seamlessly working their way up the field, back into scoring proximity. With defense being the name of the game today, Oswego began to utilize their bench depth in order to stay fresh. This would pay off as the Lakers had their work cut out for them in the final minutes before halftime, successfully defending 3 consecutive penalty corners. Krautheim tall in net, holding the Gulls' lead to just 2-0, posting a 15-save performance in the first half.
As play resumed, both teams came flying out of the gate, with Oswego bolstering some much-needed forward momentum off the starting center pass. Readjusting to the Lakers' newfound energy, Salisbury continued to lay down the hammer in the Lakers' circle, producing 6 more penalty corners in the middle minutes of the third. Unsuccessful in their attempts, Oswego's defense began to rattle the Gulls' confidence, sending the game into the final frame with the scoreline frozen at 1-0.
With Sailsbury, once again, finding solid possession in the beginning minutes of the fourth, their mindset began to shift from generating offense to playing keep away from the Lakers. This shift allowed the nationally ranked Gulls to show off their passing abilities in the midfield, but not ready to relinquish; Oswego sustained their energy into the final minutes. A last offensive surge by Salisbury would hold the Lakers in their circle but would not be enough to extend their mere 1-0 lead before the buzzer.
WHAT'S NEXT
Oswego Field Hockey will have a week to reconvene before kicking off their SUNYAC campaign against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons next Saturday, October 10th. The game will commence at 1:00PM at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. Go Lakers!
Written By: Matilda Pethrick
@OswegoAthletics | FB: OswegoAthleticsOfficial | IG: oswegoathletics
