Lakers knock off Oneonta, advance to SUNYAC semifinals

Against the odds, the fifth-seeded Oswego State women’s soccer team upset the fourth-seeded SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons 3-2, sending the Lakers to the SUNYAC semifinals for the first time since 2023.

The Lakers fell behind early in the first half, before gaining the lead, only to surrender it halfway through the second half. However, Luna Catano-Matip’s goal with 11 minutes left in the contest sealed the deal for Oswego. Kyla Sustad led the Lakers with four shots and a goal in the win.

Oswego came out of the gate strong, picking up two corner kicks and a shot on target within the opening two minutes. Despite the early offense from the Lakers, it was Oneonta that struck first. Sara Kealey scored her first of the game on a pass from fellow midfielder Devyn Kelly to make it 1-0 for the Red Dragons.

Oswego answered Oneonta’s opening goal at 28:01 when Liliana De Collibus scored on a header from Kyla Sustad’s corner kick, tying the game 1-1. Oswego built upon the goal by controlling the offensive possession time with five more corner kicks and seven shots, one being on target, before the buzzer rang for the end of the first half.

Sustad did it all by herself to put the Lakers up a goal 12 minutes into the second half before Kealey knotted it back up seven minutes later with her second of the game and seventh of the season.

Following Oneonta’s equalizer, the teams remained evenly matched, with each recording four shot attempts and three shots on goal. However, Catano-Matip’s unassisted goal at 79:32 gave the Lakers the late advantage they needed to secure the victory.

The Red Dragons would make one last offensive push to tie the game up, but Oswego goalkeeper Lucy Starzyk was up to the task, making a wonderful leaping save in the 88th minute, her third save of the game. Oswego was in survival mode for the remainder of the contest, leaving Oneonta as victors.

While the win eliminated Oneonta from the conference playoffs, it also avenged Oswego’s 2024 first-round SUNYAC playoff loss to Oneonta. The Lakers will now face the No. 1 seed, Cortland, in the SUNYAC semifinals on Nov. 4, another game in which Oswego will be heavy underdogs.