Oswego State Lakers men’s soccer hosted Morrisville State in their Senior Night season finale. With the cold Oswego weather making its way, the two teams made it a tough long battle, which ended in a 2-1 overtime win for Morrisville State.

It was a great night for the seniors despite the devastating loss, each senior was honored before the game with their parents and coaches.

Mitch Brickman, Jon Runge, Paul Kwoyelo, Brody Magro, Harrison Rieber, Tim Ritch, Brian Torchia, Lucas Williamson, and Josh Yager are among the nine seniors who got the start and play in their final game for the Lakers.

“Character, some of the best young men we’ve had in our program,” coach Bob Friske said. “Not only are they good soccer players, but they are even better people.”

In the opening minute, Kwoyelo set the tone with a stolen pass near midfield that led to a nice strike on goal and just missed it wide left. He was a big part of the offensive ball movement and making the hustle plays for the Lakers all game.

Both teams continued tough defense for the majority of the game, goalkeeper Jon Runge had five saves in the first half, none of which were easy for him.  The first half featured no goals, but plenty of chances were out there for both sides.

The same trend continued in the second half, the Lakers offense was threatening all game but took a while to get one through. Eight minutes into the second half, the Lakers finally scored with a header goal from Kwoyelo that was assisted by Williamson.

“I saw Lucas crossing the ball in and before the game we talked about giving each other one,” Kwoyelo said. “So I guess it worked out.”

That goal turned out to be Kwoyelo’s first career goal as a Laker and Williamson’s first career assist. They knew this game they were going to get their chances, so they were mentally prepared for that kind of moment.

“To me, it was a very important game,” Kwoyelo said. “It was equally important for all those seniors out there. We came out trying to go as hard as we can, and go out with high intensity.”

The Lakers’ offense found themselves with the ball in their possession for most of the second half, hoping for that goal that would be the killer and relieve some pressure from the defense.

With nine minutes to go in regulation, Morrisville State’s Captain Joe Sheehan came through with a goal of his own that tied up the match 1-1. He led the attack for Morrisville all game with five shots and three of them on goal.

Oswego State out shot Morrisville State 20-11, with a 9-7 advantage with shots on goal.With little time remaining in regulation, they still struggled to find another goal to regain the lead.

In sudden-death overtime the Lakers continued their possession of the ball on offense, finding chances but not delivering. With 2:20 remaining in extra time, Morrisville’s Julian Rodriquez found a fast break and his strike in the upper left corner would seal the deal.

“It was a good fight and we played all the seniors,” Friske said. “I thought they deserved to win.”

The victory puts Morrisville State to 13-3 on the season, while Oswego State season wraps up with a 4-13 record.

“We’re gonna miss the seniors, but have faith in everyone coming back to make an impact,” Friske said.

Despite the disappointing season, the focus is set towards the future with 24 players returning next season and a lot of potential that was displayed all season from the underclassmen.