The Oswego State field hockey team staved off a barrage of shots from Elmira College for a 5-4 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Laker Turf Stadium.
Not only is the win the Lakers' first of the year, it is also Head Coach Heather Moore's first since taking over the reins at Oswego. Oswego is now 1-2 on the year while the Soaring Eagles fall to 0-5.
Senior goalie Sarita Charap was on point all game long to will the Lakers to the triumph. In 70 minutes of work, Charap tied her second-most single-game saves mark with 21 against Elmira. It was a combined effort with Charap's defense as well, as classmate Brianna Ciganek made a career-high three defensive saves to aid in preserving a win.
The Laker offense was efficient with their opportunities in the contest, scoring on 50.0% of their chances. Oswego was paced by another senior on the offensive end of the field, as Monica Harvey tallied a career-high seven points. Those seven points came by way of a career-high tying two goals – a feat she accomplished twice as a junior – and a new career-best with three assists. Harvey was involved in each of the Lakers goals, assisting on its first, third and final notches and scoring the other two.
Harvey's first assist came on Jordan Sheehy's first goal of the year and first of the game at 5:52. After Elmira evened the game, Harvey scored her first of the game and year unassisted at 19:46. Again the Soaring Eagles were able to knot the game before the half, sending the game to the break tied at 2-2.
Elmira had its only lead of the game with a goal just over a minute into the second period. A little more than 13 minutes later, Oswego brought the game back to even at 3-3 with Katie Reynold's second goal of the season off a Harvey helper. At 55:47, the duo connected again – but this time switching roles – as Reynolds fed Harvey off a penalty corner for a score and another Laker advantage.
The game-winning goal came 8:08 later as sophomore Kendra Walker found the back of the cage for the first time in 2017 off a Harvey pass. With 50.4 second remaining, Elmira pulled to within one but a Charap save at the horn and a blocked shot on a penalty corner with no time left on the clock secured the victory.
Oswego will look to make it a winning streak its next time out when it travels to Aurora, N.Y. to face the Express of Wells College at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
