The Oswego State field hockey team is preparing for the opportunity to seal their SUNYAC playoff spot on Oct. 23 at SUNY Oneonta. 

In a four-seed playoff bracket, the Lakers stand in fourth place and have gotten there by finishing games in the overtime period. On Oct. 9, Oswego State battled for 60 minutes and was crushed on a penalty shoot scored in double overtime by SUNY Geneseo. Since then they have retaliated with a shutout win against Nazareth College and a shootout 4-3 victory Tuesday against SUNY Brockport.  

In light of this two-game win streak, junior Kaitlyn Mostracco has been a vital piece for the Lakers coming into this home stretch of games. Against SUNY Brockport she shot the ball through the net with 16 seconds left in regulation leading them into overtime. 

“My 1v1 went well even though I kind of messed it up a little,” Mostracco said. “But then I ended up scoring, also I knew Erica [Schebleim] had us set for that overtime once it went to the shootout, I knew our goalie was going to take us through it.”

Junior from Bayville NY, Scheblein was stellar in the net for the Lakers tying Kristen Buckley of the 1990 Oswego State Field Hockey Team, for ninth in program history for single-game saves record. Those 26 saves were essential for Oswego State to come out of this SUNYAC matchup with a win and Scheblein was just happy to be a part of it.

“It was a pretty incredible game,” Scheblein said. “Especially when we went into triple overtime. It was good to keep my composure the whole entire time and every time the ball came down I knew my teammates would trust me.”

Composure is a big piece of the puzzle for a playoff run for the Lakers and head coach Heather Moore knows this in her experience. Moore was satisfied with the fight her team showed against SUNY Brockport and how it paid off in the shootout. 

“I’m thankful that they didn’t give up and waited until the last 16 seconds to tie it up,” Moore said. “It showed a lot of grit and resiliency, during the overtimes I know it can be difficult in 77 minutes because you have to run a lot. But I think that they managed the game well and when we got into the shootout I think they were relentless and were not trying to lose. It felt like we were never going to lose at that point.”

Moore was thrilled with her goaltender’s performance against SUNY Brockport and credits her contributions as a large reason the Lakers came out with a mark in the win column. 

“I am really proud of her,” Moore said. “She played out of her mind in that Brockport game, she kept us in it for a lot of the shots they had. There were some tricky shots and she made some exceptional saves.”

This upcoming Saturday, the Lakers will need a lot of that grit as they hope to match up well against SUNY Oneonta on the road. The Red Dragons sit two spots below Oswego State in the conference but will be looking to turn the tide in their first matchup against the Lakers. Moore said that whenever these two teams match up it gets very competitive as both teams share similar qualities.  

“Obviously SUNYAC games are very competitive,” Moore said. “I think they also have a never quit mentality, they always show up for the Oswego game so it’s always a battle between us. Since this one’s so important I think everyone’s going to show up ready to play.

Looking at this matchup, record-setting Scheblein has a close eye on this crucial game and is confident in how the teams will compare on Saturday. 

“We’re better at spreading the field and our passing is much stronger than theirs,” Scheblein said. “I think we are going to come out stronger and faster.”

Her teammate, Mostracco, is also ready for this chance at a win against SUNY Oneonta and knows a win will be a huge mental boost for the Lakers. 

“I think we are all very excited,” Mostracco said. “We know that if we win that we will be in the SUNYAC’s, and we have not done that in a long time. I think the win over Brockport really helped motivate us, and with Oneonta coming up I think we have a good head going into it. If we win this one then we will be in a good spot mentally, I think that we’re already in a good spot, but with a win we will be ready for the postseason.”

It has been an up and down season thus far for Oswego State, coming out of the gate with four straight wins and then losing four times in a row later on in the season. Now after winning a tight game against SUNY Brockport, the Lakers will look to take advantage of a shot at the SUNYAC final four.  Moore said she is looking forward to the final stretch of this season and coaching in such a pivotal game. 

“I think they’re excited and ready to compete,” Moore said. “And we’re grateful for the opportunity.

For Oswego State’s Scheblein, she is comfortable taking the role of a fourth place team and said this field hockey squad can meet their goals. 

“I think we’re going to be the underdogs of this season.” 

Photo provided by Oswego State Athletics