The Oswego State women’s soccer team started off hot coming into the 2021 season. Unfortunately for them, after only playing two games they had two weeks worth of games cancelled, making them wait longer to get into the flow of the season. Head coach Brian McGrane knows what his players need in order to get back into the flow of playing games. 

“We just gotta play,” McGrane said. “We lost one-third of our season so we’ve just got to be able to get out here and practice and play games and continue to improve.”

When it comes to team leadership, McGrane looks to his captains, seniors Liz Myers and Graisa Madden. To McGrane, these two players rally the team and keep them together. With a strong foundation, the team can easily build up and improve as a team. McGrane also looks to Andrea Hernandez who he has full confidence in to be the voice for the younger players.

“[Andrea Hernandez] has been a really good, [soundboard] for the younger players,” McGrane said. “She has also been a very good mentor.”

McGrane takes pride in how well balanced his team is, having many good players from newer freshman to veteran seniors. Players like Gillian Groth, Luigina Serrao and Katie Delgrosso are players McGrane thinks will have a large impact on how the team does this season. But he also knows how not playing for an extended period of time can hurt the development of his players, but he believes that it should not have much of an effect on his players.

“A couple freshmen and a couple sophomores have done really well so far,” McGrane said. Serrao has done great for us, Delgrosso has done great for us, same with Groth. All of the sophomores have played the same amount as the freshmen so it’s good to finally see them play. But missing a certain number of games really hurts development, and it asks that younger players have to play up in conference play.”

McGrane knows that team chemistry is very important when a team wants to be successful and win together. That is why he appointed captains to help keep the team on one wavelength. One of the captains of the team, Liz Myers understands how important good team chemistry is for a team. So far this season she believes that the team has been very close, and working well together. 

“The team chemistry has been very close,” Myers said. “After not being able to meet and play with the freshmen last year, we have made it our goal to be connected on and off the field to ensure our bond is stronger than ever.”

During their hiatus, Myers and the rest of the team knew they needed to make sure they were ready when their games resumed. Whether it came to making sure they kept up the chemistry or keeping up with their workout routines, each player wanted to be ready to play when they could play again.

“We made sure we kept up with our activities whether it be going for a run or going to the gym or even just doing another type of physical activity,” Myers said. “Whatever we needed to do to be ready, we wanted it to be done.”

After the break, every game is important and McGrane knows that his team needs to play at their best every time they go out on the field. McGrane also takes his schedule one game at time, not focusing too far ahead and worrying about a game that is weeks away. Right now his focus is on the games coming up this week versus Plattsburgh State on Friday and SUNY Potsdam on Saturday. 

“All of them in conference are important when it comes to seeding and points, no game is more important than the others,” McGrane said. “We are just focused on Plattsburgh and Potsdam this weekend.”

McGrane believes his team is ready to continue their season and has high hopes for where they can go.

Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics