By Justin Rushia
With a playoff spot on the line, the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team (4-11-1, 3-4-1) played the third seed Oswego Lakers (9-5-1, 5-2-1) to a draw, and then defeated the Potsdam Bears 3-0.
The Cardinals are still alive in the race this year. In order to earn a postseason berth, the Cardinals will need to win over Canton and Fredonia will need to lose or draw its final SUNYAC match.
“Right now our team is in a really positive spot. We’re believing, we’re playing together and we’re finishing chances,” head coach Whitney Frary said.
After a strong start to conference play, the Cardinals climbed to the top of the rankings with victories over Fredonia (9-7-0, 4-4-0) and Morrisville (1-11-2, 1-7-0). However, a four-game losing streak caused them to drop to seventh place before their upcoming game against Oswego.
Plattsburgh needed a positive outcome against the Lakers to remain in the playoff race, with the top six SUNYAC seeds all vying for playoff spots.
Plattsburgh’s defense, led by 2023 First Team All-SUNYAC keeper Lauren Haley, had its work cut out for it against a potent Oswego offense. The Lakers are ranked second in the SUNYAC, averaging 3.1 goals per game in conference play coming into this matchup.
The Cardinal offense was ranked seventh, averaging 1.1 goals per game, and scored only one goal in each of their last four SUNYAC games.
The Cardinals made an offensive push early, going on a counter-attack that eventually earned them a corner kick in the third minute of the game. Plattsburgh did not capitalize, failing to get a shot on goal.
Most of the first 45 minutes were played fighting for possession in the middle third of the field. Neither team was able to establish clear possession of the ball or control of the game, and both defenses turned away every counter-attacking opportunity.
“After every game, we’ve been shoring up little things in the back line during practice,” Granger wrote in a text. “It’s been showing in games one at a time.”
Both keepers had to make only one save in the first 45 minutes of play.
The second half played out similarly to the first, with neither team establishing dominance over the second half.
In the 84th minute, Plattsburgh earned a free kick roughly 35 yards from goal after an Oswego foul, earning a chance to close out the game in dramatic fashion.
The free kick was floated into the box, and found its way to Catrina Maltes’ feet for a shot attempt that was impressively saved by the Oswego keeper.
Plattsburgh recovered the ball in their offensive third, leading to another shot in the 87th minute, this time by Claire Bottjer. The shot barely missed the net to the bottom right.
The final whistle blew, and the score was 0-0.
Plattsburgh finished the game with five total shots, two of them on net. Oswego finished with three total shots, managing only one on net.
Haley and the Cardinal defense earned Plattsburgh’s third shutout of the season.
“As the season went on, I think it became harder to score on the back-line and it took really good things from other teams to score on us,” Granger wrote in a text.
Six players played the full 90 minutes for the Cardinals, including all four defensive starters: Casey Granger, Lia Parker, Alexis Patrick, Amy Crowley, and midfielders Kelly Licata and Jillian Bezio.
The draw against Oswego leaves Plattsburgh’s playoff hopes alive. The Cards are currently battling with Fredonia, whom they beat earlier in the season, for the sixth and final playoff spot.
With its win over Potsdam on Wednesday, Oct. 23, Plattsburgh needs to beat Canton, and Fredonia needs to lose to Oneonta in order for Plattsburgh to jump Fredonia for the sixth and final playoff seed.
The Cardinals will finish off conference play with a matchup against the Canton Kangaroos on Saturday, Oct. 26. This game also marks Plattsburgh’s senior day.
“This is a resilient team,” Frary said. “We saw that in Oswego, and we saw that tonight (against Potsdam).”
