The Oswego State Volleyball team finally returned home this past weekend for their annual Oswego State Invitational. 

     The Lakers felt the home court advantage, going a perfect 4-0 and improving their season record to 8-6. The Lakers started the Invitational with a couple of 3-0 sweeps.

     Their first match was against the Utica University Pioneers and the Lakers did not disappoint. In the opening set the Pioneers held a 21-14 advantage but a 6-1 run late led by aces from sophomore Emily Zeisler put the Lakers right in contention.  Utica got a sideout to make the score 23-20, but Cara Simplicio’s kill and Nyah Dias’ four-point service run led the Lakers to an opening set win.   

    The second set was a much more commanding win for the Lakers, as they took an early 22-8 lead and kills from Olivia Bunn, Sydney Chriffler and Simplicio secured the final score of 25-10.  The third set was closer, going back and forth, until kills from Georgia Farry and McKenna Corbin closed out the set in favor of the Lakers.

     The second match of the first day was against Medaille University. The Lakers were in control of the first set, going up 11-4 until Medaille snuck back into the game to bring the score to 17-15. After this, senior Ally Natale began with an ace, and led the Lakers out to 22-15. Kills from Emma Fiorentine and Simplicio closed out the set with a final score of 25-20. The second set was very close, but the Lakers, led by six kills from Simplicio, once again won by a score of 25-20.  Medaille went up 12-5 early in the third set, but the Lakers rallied to get the score to 20-20 and bad errors late in the set for Medaille notched another sweep for the Lakers. Simplicio led the day with 22 kills and digs with 18. Corbin led the team in aces and assists with six and 48, respectively. Grace Taylor led the teams in blocks with eight total.

     The Lakers ended the invitational with two more wins completing their perfect 4-0 stretch.

     Their first match of the second day was against the SUNY Canton Kangaroos.  In the first set, the Lakers ran through the Kangaroos by a score of 25-18 led by Simplicio’s four kills.  The second set was a complete flip-flop as Canton won 25-19.  The third set was much more of a fight from the Lakers, as Farry and Simplicio put up four straight kills but it was not enough and the Kangaroos squeaked out the set winning 25-23.  The Lakers defense was completely dominant in the fourth and fifth sets, Canton only had seven kills over the stretch of two games with the final scores being 25-7 and 15-7.

     The second match of the day for the Lakers was against the St. Lawrence University Saints.  The Lakers got a lead in the opening set, going up 10-6, before the Saints went on an 11-point run to make the score 17-10. The teams went back and forth until the Saints won 25-17.  Service runs by Zeisler and Corbin helped the team have a 20-10 lead in the second set, and eventually win the set 25-19. Fiorentine and Taylor each led with three kills in the third set and the Lakers went up early and won 25-18.    

     The Lakers ran away with the fourth set, played great defense to fend off a Saints comeback to win the final set 25-18. Farry led the day in kills with 26, Zeisler led in aces with nine, Corbin led in assists with 67, Taylor led with eight blocks and Natale led in digs with 32.  

      The Lakers also faced Cazenovia College this Sept. 21.  It was much more of the same for the Lakers as they controlled each set winning three sets to zero. In the first set, the Lakers won in practically every statistical category besides blocks but mainly dominating in hitting percentage, putting up a fantastic .452. Errors truly hurt Cazenovia in the second set, with 11 total, and the Lakers took this opportunity to win the set 25-11. The third set was just as good for the Lakers, as they led in kills with 11 to Cazenovia’s five and three blocks while Cazenovia had zero. Taylor led the team in kills and blocks with 10 and four respectively, Corbin led the team in assists with 20, and Kaylee Troy led the team in aces and digs with two and eight respectively.

     After starting the season at a record of 0-3 they have gone on a tear winning nine of their last 12 games. New coach Toby Rens has brought a new culture to the Lakers, and I hope they continue through this path of dominance as the season goes on.

     The Lakers hope to continue their winning streak as they face two SUNYAC conference opponents this weekend at home. They face Plattsburgh State at 6 p.m. on Sept. 23, and they face SUNY Potsdam at 1 p.m. on Sept. 24.

Photo via Oswego Athletics