The Oswego State women’s soccer team welcomed the SUNY Fredonia Blue Devils to Laker Turf for their last regular season game on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The matchup fell on senior day and the Lakers wasted no time showing out in the cherished tradition, as fourth-year striker Courtney Key found the back of the net in the fourth minute. The conversion was assisted by Kyla Sustad and gave the Lakers an early sense of momentum as they transitioned into the rest of the first period.

After Key made her mark, it was a balanced battle. The Blue Devils did a precise job of controlling the ball, as they were able to apply a heavy offensive attack and take shots often. Gabrielle Irwin and Alyssa Sabato were among the many offensive beneficiaries that the visiting squad worked off of.

No conversions were able to be had for a while, as the Lakers ran a compact defensive scheme that met their opponent at every turn.

However, that narrative would flip just before the halftime buzzer, as freshman Mckenna Szmarz caught the Laker defense off guard to notch the unassisted equalizer and the two teams went into the 15-minute break knotted up at one goal apiece.

The second half commenced with the two teams once again trading pace. Both neutralized each other’s attack, with the Lakers recording two unsuccessful attempts not even a minute in, followed by the Blue Devils doing the same. Bronwyn Madden attempted to convert three times, all within three minutes, but each shot was in vain as the Lakers imposed their physical will on the other side of the ball.

The Lakers had a few instances of undisciplined play, as three different members of the team committed fouls all within a four minute time span.

Amid this, there were tries on the net by the squad, but first-year netminder, Casey Fetzner, stood tall fending off aggressive shots left and right.

The Blue Devils were able to capitalize upon the Lakers’ miscues, as seen when Brooke Grazen put the team on her back, knifed through the defense and delivered an impactful conversion in the 74th minute. Teammates surrounded her, celebrating as the Blue Devils went up 2-1, after they were previously down 1-0, just four minutes into the second half.

The Lakers could not get over the hump from this point, as they were counteracted at the heel by their opposition, with the Blue Devils executing a flawless defensive gameplan. Furthermore, the Lakers failed to clean up on their disorderly play, as yet again, three fouls were had within three minutes, all following an unsuccessful shot by Sustad in the 80th minute.

After an evenly matched battle, the Blue Devils maintained their edge to come out as victors, 2-1.

The location is flipped for the Lakers’ next matchup, yet their opponent remains the same. A postseason bout with the Blue Devils is set for Nov. 1, at 2 p.m. at the Fredonia University Stadium.