With the leaves changing colors and the temperature dropping, fall is quickly nearing an end. While this means the beginning of hockey season to many Oswego State sports fans, it also means that fall sports are nearing the conclusion of the regular season and the beginning of the postseason.
For the Oswego State men’s soccer team, this is a very exciting time because on Saturday, Oct. 19, the Lakers clinched a spot in the SUNYAC playoffs for the first time since 2014.
The Lakers team that has been led by a full team effort all season long currently sits in fourth place in the SUNYAC conference, with a 4-2-1 record in conference play. And as any coach would tell you about a successful team, it is the little things that have some of the greatest impacts on the game, and when asked about the team’s greatest strength, head coach Dan Kane certainly attributes the little things to the team’s success.
“The ability just to gut out games,” Kane said. “To own those crucial moments. Games are not won and lost over 90 minutes or 110 minutes. They’re won and lost in a split second. So just staying locked in those split seconds and finding a goal when we need a goal, or finding a great defensive tackle when we need a tackle has been really key for the guys.”
Some of these gutsy games were played this past weekend, when the Lakers defeated SUNY Potsdam 2-0 on Friday, Oct. 18, but then fell to Plattsburgh State 2-0 the next day. However, there were still positives to be taken from the tough defeat.
“Strangely I thought we played better in our loss to Plattsburgh than in our win to Potsdam,” Kane said. “I thought our team dominated the midfield against Plattsburgh, had a few mental miscues but overall played really well in a tough environment against a really good team.”
While winning those little moments can lead to victories or defeats, those moments are sometimes not even possible without good team chemistry. When the game is on the line and players need to rely on each other to work together and accomplish a goal, having good team chemistry is a key factor and this team certainly has that.
“The family environment within the team,” freshman forward Steven Rojas said. “We’re always hanging out together, getting food together, on and off the field we’re always connecting so I think that’s been a huge part of the team this year.”
Another huge part of the Lakers success this season has been Rojas himself. The freshman has contributed three goals and five assists on the year and has started in 13 out of the team’s 15 contests this season.
“We knew he was going to be really good as a freshman,” Kane said. “He’s done well and I think the older guys have done a good job feeding his confidence and allowing him to be himself.”
Rojas is not the only player making a big impact on the team. While Rojas has been integreal to this team’s attack, one of the keys to Oswego State’s defense has been the man in goal. Junior goalie Brian Terra has led the Oswego State defense to a phenomenal season, allowing opponents to score just 0.93 goals per game.
“Brian’s been excellent,” Kane said. “He’s made one or two crucial saves every game, but he’s also made the simple plays and done those really well.”
Terra currently leads the SUNYAC with six shutouts on the season, three of which came in SUNYAC play. But despite his brilliant play and praise from his coach, Terra still gives credit to the players in front of him.
“Just having a good defense in front of me,” Terra said. “Although we are young and we’re vulnerable to mistakes sometimes, just staying together and communicating throughout the whole game and staying focused the whole 90 minutes and even the 120 minutes we play, 110 minutes. Just being there for one another and staying positive.”
While this has been a great season for the Lakers, they still have some work to do. Sitting in fourth place in the SUNYAC, Oswego State will look to move up in the conference this upcoming weekend when it visits SUNY Fredonia on Friday, Oct. 24 and Buffalo State on Saturday, Oct. 25.
These two games promise to be tough contests and the team is well aware of this. Buffalo State in particular boasts a defense that has held opponents to just 0.56 goals per game this season. The Lakers’ forwards know that it will take a strong effort to break through the Bengals defense.
“Just keep working hard every game,” Rojas said. “We know Buff State, they’re going to be good, they’re going to be physical, so we’re going to have to match that.”
All of the hard work and strong efforts that the Lakers have given this season has come from good team chemistry and focusing on the little things. To have that kind of attitude, a team must have a leader who has a strong passion for what they are doing and love the people that they are doing it with.
“I love coming to work every day,” Kane said. “They’re an amazing group to work with. They put a smile on my face every day and I just consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to work with them.”
Photo by Nicole Hube | The Oswegonian
