With the start of the season underway, the Oswego State Lakers have a tough stretch of games ahead of them. The Lakers are approaching a five game road trip to start conference play and are looking to improve their record of 6-8-3 from the 2018 season.

“Our main goal is to make it to the conference tournament,” head coach Brian McGrane said. “We want to play until we don’t know what the next day brings.”

However McGrane is also aware that the upcoming set of games is not the ideal situation the Lakers were hoping for, as three of their first five opponents reached the SUNYAC playoffs last year.

“We understand this is the start of a new season, which can be motivating to the girls,” McGrane said. “We have a tough start considering that we are going against previous playoff contenders, but the girls understand and are motivated by the simple fact that there is a chance to play in the postseason.”

That SUNYAC playoff birth is a goal shared by teammates as well. 

“Going into my final season my main goal for the team is to get into the SUNYAC tournament,” senior Corinna Chambers said. “Hannah [Almy] and I have been and would definitely want to go.”

The players are confident and collected going against the defending SUNYAC champions, SUNY Geneseo. With making sure their defense stays tight, and the offense produces, the Lakers are confident in their chances of bringing home a win. 

With four goals already on the 2019 season, sophomore Liz Myers is excited for the upcoming stretch of games and is ready to take on SUNY Geneseo. Her ability to create offense and finish has proved she is a key component to the Lakers offense.

“We have been working on formations, most importantly we are going to have to stay on our toes at all times,” Myers said. “Against a team like Geneseo, there is no time to not be ready, we have to play faster and get shots off quicker.”

The Lakers have adjusted their approach for the SUNY Geneseo game and will do so against the other teams they will face.

“Each team is different, the defensive play we put up against Geneseo might be different than how we format against Brockport,” McGrane said. “They are just as strong.”

There is added stress involved by the simple fact that the first five SUNYAC games are played away. Game day routines need to be altered to ensure the players are getting the proper amount of rest. There is a difference between sleeping in your own bed, and waking up in a hotel. The long bus rides can make players tired. Despite this, the Lakers do not plan on letting these obstacles get in their way.

“You need to adapt to the different environment,” Myers said. “Whether it’s different turf or even grass you’re playing on.”

Connection is a vital key to success within the Lakers. It keeps the players on the same page and help each other.

“We need to keep our [strong]  work ethic and [high] level of support,” Myers said. “We have to keep our heads up, when one person gives up it tends to lead to a domino effect within the team.”

The Lakers are focused on the team’s success. They are aware of the road they have ahead of them but are mostly concerned about each other, and how the team performs as a unit. One aspect of the team that is of concern is the freshmen and their inexperience, as they have yet to play in a SUNYAC contest.

“You just have to be positive in every situation, play your hardest, and do not get intimidated,” senior Corinna Chambers stated in regards to the freshmen who have not yet played a SUNYAC league game.

The strong freshman class has been key for the Lakers, even though a big time scorer recruited by the Lakers will not be seeing the turf this season.

“Season ending injuries are devastating, we have run into problems with injuries this season,” McGrane said. “A freshman we recruited who is a huge goal scorer tore her ACL prior to coming to campus.”

Although the Lakers have been negatively affected by injuries, McGrane is still ready and has created an approach for each team for the upcoming games.

“Each team is different,” McGrane said. “Our main goal is to win, and keep the girls motivated if the games don’t go as planned … I expect the girls to be hardworking, passionate, and embrace every adversity and challenge that is thrown their way.”

Photo by William Rogers | The Oswegonian