Field hockey squeaks into playoffs despite pair of consecutive losses 

For the first time since 2024, the Oswego State field hockey team has secured a spot in the SUNYAC playoffs.

Despite suffering two consecutive home losses to end the regular season, the team used a late-stage win against SUNY Morrisville on Oct. 24 – a team which ended its campaign without a conference win – to clinch the No. 4 seed. The Lakers will now face off against No. 8 Salisbury University, the defending SUNYAC champions, on Friday, Nov. 6, at 12 p.m. in Oneonta, New York. 

The Lakers are 0-2 against the Seagulls all-time, having been outscored 9-0 through the pair of matchups in October 2025 and 2026. Salisbury joined the conference in 2025 after spending four years in the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference, currently standing 9-0 through two years of SUNYAC play. 

Oswego State enters the contest at a record of 6-11 (1-3 SUNYAC) with two consecutive losses to SUNY Oneonta (2-0, Oct. 31) and the University of Rochester (4-0, Oct. 27). Under the leadership of head coach Caitlin Hoover, the Lakers have made necessary adjustments to do everything they can to try and take down the red-hot Seagulls, who currently stand at 13-3 with four consecutive wins. 

“[In practices] we’re kind of keeping it the same, but we’re also getting back to our basics and hitting those foundational pieces,” Hoover said. “The small things make a big difference, so just kind of focusing on the little things – like eliminations or receptions – that could ultimately lead to something big for us.”

The team is also led by captains Margaret Kuebler and Carly King, who have both learned things about themselves and the team from their regular-season loss to Salisbury on Oct. 3.

 “When watching film [from that game], we were talking about our spacing and being ready at all times and being adaptable all over the field,” King said. “We know that they’re a really good, fast and technical team – we’ll have to adapt to that.”

For Kuebler, a senior with 58 games under her green and gold belt, the realization that this may be her final game only brings a further hunger to lay everything out on the field.

“Dig deep,” Kuebler said. “This could possibly be my last game, so put everything that you have out there – don’t hold back at all – but also play like a unit, connect with each other and communicate so we can have a good last run here.”

That run will start Friday afternoon, when the Lakers make the 143-mile trip to Oneonta for a 12 p.m. start.