The Oswego State field hockey team fell two wins short of both of its team goals: obtaining a .500 record and making the SUNYAC playoffs.

The Lakers went 6-10 on the season overall and finished with a 2-4 conference record. It is the second year in a row the team has fallen two wins short of achieving either goal. After starting the 2018 season on a three-game win streak, allowing only two goals in those three games, the expectations were high. After the 5-0 win against Elmira College on Sept. 5, the Lakers lost eight of their nine next games before coming away with a 4-2 win over Morrisville State.

For head coach Heather Moore, there is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming seasons with the returning players. The freshman class this season was her first true recruiting class after being placed at the helm of the Lakers last season. This year’s sophomore class was recruited by former head coach Brandi Lusk. Moore said the freshman class has a variety of personalities that helps the Lakers succeed.

“I think their attitude is going to be what propels them forward because they’re all intense individuals and all want to win and they have the drive to be successful,” Moore said. “We just need to find a way to harness it, and that’s what the spring will be for.”

The Lakers’ season was plagued by injuries, Moore said, including one to senior defenseman Maddie Nelson. While that was a negative aspect of the season to Moore, the positive that came out of the situation was the freshman class had quality minutes during multiple games.

Moore also said there were many “moral victories,” with a lot of games being closer against certain teams than they were last season. One of those games included a 3-0 loss to SUNY Cortland this season, compared to the 7-2 loss last year.

“We were in a lot more games. We weren’t getting completely blown out against teams that we had been in past seasons,” Moore said. “So, I see small successes. The fact that the freshmen were able to play and be successful is important.”

The team had four seniors this season. Katie Reynolds, Lacey Woite, Emily Conklin and Nelson will all be graduating, ending their time for the field hockey team. Reynolds finished as the fifth highest scorer in team history with 68 points. She is also fifth in career goals with 29. Other than offensive production, the team will also be losing strong vocal leaders from the entire senior class.

“Obviously scoring goals, having a lot of assists and being vocal are going to be missed,” Moore said. “I think collectively, as a group, their leadership and energy will be missed.”

For players like Woite, who was a three-sport athlete in high school, she said it was weird coming into college and only playing one sport, but it will be even more unusual with no sports when she graduates.

“Now to not be working toward anything is going to be really weird, but I don’t think the full emotion of it all has hit me yet,” Woite said.

Both Reynolds and Woite think this team is poised for success in the near future. A common theme that both players mentioned was the Lakers need to have a better connection on and off the field. They both said the entire team has tremendous individual skill, but with 11 players on the field at a time, it is a team effort.

“If they can learn to work together a little better, if they can connect passes better and stuff like that,” Reynolds said. “They all have skill. They just have to find that missing piece.”

Now that the fall season has ended, Moore’s eyes are looking toward the team’s unofficial spring season and eventual individual summer programs. While it is hard to get games in the spring due to NCAA regulations, the team plays inter-squad scrimmages and prepares for the summer.

“The goal is also to get everybody’s fundamental skills up to the same level so that everyone has the same base and they can expand on that during the summer,” Moore said.

With a new season coming soon, Moore will also be focusing on next year’s recruiting class. Other than replacing the obvious four holes left by the graduating seniors, Moore focuses on getting players with the right personalities for her system.

“As long as they mesh with the team and are passionate about the sport and they have some skills they are willing to continue to develop, I think that’s a great start,” Moore said.

Photo by Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian