Oswego State women’s lacrosse has spent the entire season at the top of the SUNYAC standings. On Wednesday, April 22, they proved why.

In a matchup that carried postseason implications, Oswego State defeated SUNY Cortland 12-11 in a SUNYAC contest to clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament for the second consecutive season.

The Lakers improved to 12-4 overall and a perfect 9-0 in SUNYAC play, while the Red Dragons fell to 12-4 overall and 8-1 in conference.

The win also marked a historic moment for the program. It was just the third time in history that Oswego State has defeated the Red Dragons. Also, the third win against Cortland in a row solidified the Lakers’ rise as a conference contender.

Alexis Hill lead the way with a dominant all-around performance, scoring five goals while adding six ground balls and four caused turnovers. Attacker Cassidy Croce is another brilliant mind on the team, recording a hat trick and midfielder Aubri Greene added two crucial goals in the fourth quarter. In the net, goalkeeper Alana Iacovissi made eight saves to anchor the defense.

With the victory, Oswego State extended its regular-season conference winning streak to 18 games and secured an important home-field advantage throughout the SUNYAC playoffs.

The Lakers set the tone early, jumping out to a 4-2 lead in the first quarter behind three goals from Hill. Cortland responded in the second, trimming the deficit to 5-4, but Oswego State maintained control heading into halftime with a 6-4 advantage. The Lakers never let the Red Dragons get in front of the score.

A key stretch came in the third quarter, when Croce scored twice in just over a minute and Addison Costello added another goal late to push the lead to 9-5. That lead was critical for the Lakers’ victory.

After Greene extended the lead to 11-6 early in the fourth, Cortland responded with three goals, but Hill secured the win, making it 12-11 in the end.

Oswego State will get a round bye and host the SUNYAC semifinal playoff game on April 29, with its opponent yet to be determined from the winner of the Buffalo State vs. Fredonia game.

While the women’s team has secured its postseason positioning, Oswego State men’s lacrosse is still fighting for its place.

The Lakers (9-4 overall, 4-3 SUNYAC) kept their playoff hopes alive on Wednesday with a 15-10 SUNYAC win over SUNY New Paltz. The victory sets up the most important matchup of the season, a regular-season finale against SUNY Potsdam, where the winner will earn a spot in the SUNYAC playoffs.

In the game against New Paltz, midfielder Garrett Elston led Oswego State with six goals and one assist, including three goals in the fourth quarter. Elston said the win was important after recent conference struggles.

“Feels really good,” Elston said. “After the past couple of games, dropping some games in the SUNYAC, it’s good to get one today and especially scoring six goals.”

Another star player in the game was goalkeeper Seamus Hand, who recorded 13 saves, helping the Lakers maintain control in key moments.

The game remained tight through three quarters, with Oswego State holding a narrow 9-8 lead entering the fourth. A late goal from the Lakers in the third quarter proved to be a turning point, shifting momentum heading into the final period.

From there, the Lakers pulled away. Oswego State scored six goals in the fourth quarter, including four consecutive goals in just over a minute, turning a one-goal game into a comfortable 15-10 victory.

With one game remaining, the postseason scenario is clear. Oswego State will travel to face SUNY Potsdam on Saturday in a SUNYAC matchup with playoff implications, as both teams look to secure one of the final spots in the conference tournament.

Head coach Andrew Daly said the team is already treating the moment like postseason play.

“Playoffs kind of started for us yesterday, so we’re treating it like a playoff game,” Daly said. “We gotta get ready to roll and I told our guys we got playoffs starting tomorrow, so you better be ready to work.”

Elston echoed the sense of urgency heading into the regular-season finale.

“It’s a huge game,” Elston said. “The next two days are really important practices and we gotta get a win on Saturday.”

For the women’s team, the path is already set, with home-field advantage and a conference title secured. For the men, the opportunity remains in front of them, with their season coming down to one final game.