The Oswego State women’s basketball team had two hard-fought battles this week, coming up short against SUNYAC opponents SUNY Morrisville and SUNY Cortland.

Against Morrisville, a game that featured 13 lead changes, the Lakers were in a head-to-head matchup with the Mustangs, proving how intense this matchup was. The first half was a blur as both teams matched each other on the scoreboard. Oswego trailed by just five points at halftime. The Lakers came out of halftime with intensity and delivered a strong third quarter, outscoring Morrisville 21 – 15 to claim a 50 – 47 lead going into the final quarter of play.

The fourth quarter was a battle fought with intensity from both teams. The Lakers and Mustangs were trading baskets and canceling each other out with defensive stops. Giavanna White-Principio led the Oswego squad with a double-double, pouring in 21 points and securing 17 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. Zhane Holmes also impacted the scoreboard heavily, finishing with 15 points and six assists. Another important player was Bri Weaver, who came off the bench to rack up 12 points.

Oswego took advantage of the Mustangs’ mistakes, as the Lakers scored 19 points off turnovers and consistently attacked the paint. But in the final few minutes, Morrisville’s Anyssia Ingersoll proved to be the one to put it away for the Mustangs. She finished with a game-high 30 points, knocking down critical foul shots in the closing seconds. With one last opportunity to tie, the Lakers potential game-tying three-pointer was blocked as time ran out, sealing a defeat in a contest that could have gone either way.

The challenge only intensified as the Lakers faced Cortland, who currently leads the SUNYAC. Oswego opened the game with confidence, matching baskets early and tying the score at 4 – 4 after Cortland’s Sophie Bissaillon hit a three-pointer off an assist from Kaeli McAnally. However, the Red Dragons defensive pressure and interior presence began to shut down the Lakers late in the first quarter.

Behind 18 – 10 after the first, the Lakers struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the second quarter. A Red Dragon’s 19 – 8 run pushed the halftime score to 37 – 18. The Lakers managed to shoot 34 percent from the field and just 1 of 12 from three-point range, while the Red Dragons took advantage of points in the paint and steady free-throw shooting to build separation.

Despite being behind, the Lakers continued to compete. Freshman Madison Aikens attacked the rim in the third quarter, providing an offensive lift. Weaver once again made an impact, finishing with nine points and four steals. White-Principio battled in the paint against a physical Red Dragons defense, recording 10 points and seven rebounds, while Holmes added six points and six assists. Sydney Hoefs also added four points and six rebounds and the Lakers bench totaled 23 points in the competition.

The Red Dragons managed to stay on top, shooting over 40 percent from the field and nearly 73 percent in the fourth quarter to secure another conference win. Though the results did not fall in their favor, Oswego’s effort, toughness and balanced contributions underscored a team unwilling to back down, even against the conference’s toughest competition. The Lakers return home again on Friday, Feb. 20, to take on SUNY Fredonia in their second-to-last conference matchup.