The Oswego State women’s soccer team notched a 2-1 victory over their conference rivals, Brockport Golden Eagles. They now prepare for another match Saturday vs SUNY Geneseo. Coach Brian McGrane saw his team go down early, giving up a goal scored by Maddie Sinclare about four minutes into the match.
The Lakers looked extremely shaky from back to front in the beginning minutes of the match. The team bounced back with two goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half scored by Emma Geyer and Audrey Burbidge. Geyer leads the Lakers in goals (6) and points (13).
A match dominated for about 70 minutes by the Lakers was still only won by a one goal margin. The Lakers played their game and possessed the ball a heavy amount in the final third of the pitch.
“We always want to possess, anytime you can possess you have a better chance to win,” McGrane said. “Playing balls over the top, over and over again, can be a bit hectic sometimes.”
Possession is key to controlling a soccer match and that’s what the Lakers did here today. Combination passes through the middle out to wings creates multiple opportunities on net as the Lakers rounded up 11 shots total on the day.
The Lakers’ offense continued to punch through the Brockport defense, outshooting the opponents and creating more opportunities within the 18-yard box. Their style of play looks to be a model for the team moving forward as they approach the final stretch of their regular season.
“We kept pressuring their outside backs whether it was forcing them to kick it out for a throw in or just being them on the touchline,” McGrane said. “Our outside play was great moving up the field.”
The play of the backline was key as they allowed minimal opportunities for the Golden Eagles. Allowing only three shots total (all on goal), the Lakers suffocated Brockport’s chances of winning this game. The back four did a great job of dictating the pace of the game with calm interplay with the ball, great switches across the field and balls played over the top of the opposing backline.
“Defensively overall we were great,” Mary Morrison said. “Anytime there was any pressure it was 40 yards away from goal opposed to being at the top of the 18, which is what we’re looking for out of our back four.”
The Lakers now face a tough task on Saturday at home against a solid side, SUNY Geneseo.
“This game is nothing like Brockport, they are more fit, athletic, dangerous up top and we got to be better than we were here today,” McGrane said.
Tomorrow should be an enticing one as the Lakers look for their fourth conference win on the season and hope to move past SUNY Geneseo into the five spot in the SUNYAC rankings.
