The Oswego State field hockey team closed out the home portion of its season with a 1-0 win against The College at Brockport on Saturday afternoon. The game was also the final SUNYAC contest of the season for the Lakers. Prior to the game, Oswego State honored its seniors with a ceremony on the field.
One of those seniors, forward Michelle Ruskey, scored the game’s lone goal early on, barely six minutes into the game. At the 5:46 mark in the first half, Ruskey received a pass from fellow senior forward Alyssa Hare in a scrum near the net and took the first shot of the game, putting the ball in the back of the net.
The teams would trade advances the remainder of the game, with neither side able to put the ball past the opposing goalie, and only six total shots between them. The Golden Eagles (6-7, 2-4 SUNYAC) were unable to score despite a 4-2 advantage in that category.
“I am so proud of the way my team played on Saturday,” fifth-year head coach Brandi Lusk said. “They played with a great intensity, hustle, skill and relentlessness. They played almost perfectly in every way.”
Oswego State (5-10, 2-4 SUNYAC) freshman goalie Grace Lombardi stopped both shots she faced en route to earning the win, her third on the year and recording her second shutout of the season. Her counterpart, Brockport senior Kasey Schreiner, blocked three shots.
“I think our mentality was our biggest strength for this game,” Lusk said. “We played smart and used our drives and speed to our advantage, while keeping our composure and determination in a close game.”
Before the game, the Lakers honored their six seniors with flowers and pictures with their parents, along with a round of applause from teammates and those in attendance.
“I was very emotional,” said senior captain and midfielder Aislinn Breslin, who has been out since an Oct. 3 victory over Wells College with a broken kneecap. “Field hockey has been such a big part of my life for so long and to know that this chapter of my life was coming to a close was hard to handle. However, I have a great group of seniors with me and we got through it together, with a few tears of course.”
Alongside Ruskey, Hare and Breslin, Oswego State recognized forward Taylor Stein, defender Kelly Blair and midfielder and captain Jess Felice.
“They are a good group of girls,” Lusk said. “They have always been hardworking and showed a great enthusiasm for the game. They are respectful on and off the field, work hard in the classroom and their leadership will be missed next season.”
The Lakers finished 2-4 in conference play for the second consecutive year, and have had that same mark in four out of the last five years.
Oswego State extended its winning streak to two on Tuesday, with a 3-2 road victory over Nazareth College. Three separate Lakers scored for Oswego State: Felice, Stein and junior midfielder Rachel Johnston.
The Lakers have one more game remaining this season. They will travel to St. John Fisher Saturday for a matchup against the Cardinals at noon before wrapping it up until 2013.
“We are excited to end the season on a three-game win streak and we will work hard to accomplish that goal to end the season on a good note,” Lusk said.
