The Oswego State men’s soccer team have been through a rough stretch as of late, going 1-3-1 over their last five games.
Over that stretch, the Lakers have been outscored 8-4, giving up the majority of the goals in their 5-2 loss to the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons on Sept. 24.
After the game, head coach Dan Kane said that there were a lot of positives he was able to take away from the loss. Kane felt that the team had momentum and things to build off of heading into their next matchup versus Utica University.
Lo and behold, the Lakers were able to bounce back in their next game on Sept. 28, with a 2-1 victory over Utica.
Liam Rowthar agreed with Kane that although they did have a tough time during certain points in the game, the team was able to stay together and fight through it.
In another interview, Kane said he knows that he has a talented roster in front of him, but the little mistakes during games have thrown them off their rhythm. Kane believes that in order to pull themselves out of the rut they have been stuck in, they need to be stronger on the mental side of the game.
“I attribute it [the recent slide] to moments of lack of focus,” Kane said. “I feel confident that we can fix that, and we have been training to be more focused, and we believe that will translate into our games.”
Kane believes that the recent stretch of games is not due to a lack of desire or trust within his team, but more of mental lapses during key points in the game.
The Lakers have also had a hard time converting scoring opportunities in front of the net this season. The team averages 13 shots on goal per game, but only averages 1.25 goals per game. This has been a major factor in their recent slide, but Kane thinks that the team will get it going sooner rather than later.
“We’ve been a little bit unlucky,” Kane said. “Our guys are quality finishers and have the skill to convert their chances. I think if you look at the stats at the end of the season, you’ll see a return to the mean.”
Ryan Young, a fifth year defender for the Lakers is one of the veteran leaders for the younger players. Young said that this mid-season slump is nothing new, and making sure the young guys know that is very important.
“Everything I’m saying is just, relax,” Young said. “Don’t panic, don’t get crazy, we’ve been here before, we’ve been down and out and things can easily go our way if we just stay together and don’t panic.”
Junior midfielder Kieran Gilroy, is tied for the team lead in goals with three. Although he has had success so far this season, Gilroy knows there are ways he can improve to help his team get back on track.
“I need to continue and improve my overall team play,” Gilroy said. “Help increase the confidence of myself and my team. I think when we gain more confidence we believe that we can beat anyone.”
With the win over the Pioneers, Kane notched the 100th win of his collegiate coaching career.
The Lakers head into their final stretch of games, all within the SUNYAC conference on Oct. 1 when they face the SUNY Potsdam Bears.
Photo via Jim Gemza
