Volleyball Manages Split at Potsdam

The Oswego State volleyball team came away from this weekend's Victory Promotions Tournament in Potsdam, N.Y. with a 2-2 record. The Lakers (2-6) began play Friday with a straight-sets loss to eventual tourney champ Clarkson (6-2). Oswego State then evened their record on the day when they easily defeated Regis College 25-13, 25-16, 25-13.

St. Lawrence (7-1) began Saturday's action by earning their second straight-set win over Oswego State in as many weekends. The Lakers finished out their schedule with a 3-1 victory over Buffalo State (2-6). Amanda Cipriano (pictured) was the only Laker picked for the All-Tournament team.

Cortland Sweeps SUNYAC Spring Titles

Cortland beat Buffalo State 3-1 today to win the 2008 SUNYAC Softball Championship today in Plattsburgh. Jamesville-DeWitt graduate Amanda Barnett hit a two-run home run in the third inning to plate the game-winning run. The Red Dragons went 4-1 on the weekend in the double-elimination tournament to earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

Cortland also beat Brockport 12-5 in today's SUNYAC Baseball Championship in Cortland. The Dragons went 3-0 on the weekend to earn their fourth straight NCAA Tournament bid. Cortland has won 16 SUNYAC baseball titles since 1991 and 27 overall.

The Red Dragons made it a clean sweep of the weekend by claiming the SUNYAC men's and women's lacrosse titles with wins over Geneseo and Brockport respectively.

Men's Hoops Blocks Bengal Playoff Path

Oswego State men's hoops beat Buffalo State 92-67 Saturday night. The loss means the Bengals will miss the SUNYAC playoffs. Meanwhile, the third-seed Lakers will host #6 Potsdam at 7 p.m. Tuesday night in the conference quarterfinals.

Women's Hoops Win 4th Straight

Oswego State women's hoops closed out the regular season with their fourth straight victory, 56-46 at Buffalo State Saturday night. Read the game recap here. The seventh-seeded Lakers will travel to second-seed Cortland for the SUNYAc quarterfinals Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

Women's Hockey Drops 4th Straight

The Oswego State women's ice hockey team lost 1-0 to Buffalo State for the second consecutive day, as the visiting Bengals scored the game's only goal early in the third period at the Campus Center Ice Arena in Oswego.

Marissa McMullan banged in a rebound at the edge of the crease off a point shot from Mariah Fairgrieve at 1:52 of the third period. The lead held up over the game's last 18 minutes, with Oswego State's best chances coming in the final minute of the contest after goalie Hilary Hitchman was pulled for an extra attacker.

The Lakers also hit the crossbar with a shot early in the first period, but couldn't get any shots past Bengal goalkeeper Shannon Anesetti, who made 28 saves in picking up her second consecutive shutout. Hitchman made 34 saves for the Lakers.

Oswego State fell to 8-14-1 on the season and is now 3-11-0 in the ECAC Women's West. Buffalo State concluded its regular season with a 7-11-3 overall mark and a 5-9-2 league record. The Bengals are currently sixth in the ECAC Women's West and hold the final playoff spot in the league standings.

The Lakers will play two games at Elmira next weekend.

Playoff Hopes Dim For Women's Hockey

The Buffalo State Bengals scored the only goal of the game in the late stages of the third period in a 1-0 win over the Oswego State Lakers on Friday night at the Campus Center Ice Arena in Oswego.

The victory extended Buffalo State's lead over the Lakers in the ECAC Women's West standings to four points as the Bengals are now 4-9-2 in the league and 6-11-3 overall, while Oswego State fell to 3-10-0 in the league and 8-13-1 overall.

The only goal of the contest came with 4:37 left to play in the third period as Marissa McMullan scored on a wrister from the lower part of the left-wing circle, beating the Laker goalie on the near post. It was an unassisted goal and held up as the game-winner.

Scoring chances were hard to come by throughout the contest with the Lakers seeing two excellent opportunities turned aside by Bengal goalie Shannon Anesetti, who made 20 saves in the game. Laker freshman Erica Shapey had one shot ring off the post in the second period and was stopped by Anesetti on a clear breakaway early in the third.

Many of Buffalo State's best opportunities were off of deflections from point shots, but Laker goalie Hilary Hitchman and the defense did a nice job in front, with Hitchman finishing the contest with 23 saves.

Oswego State was 0-for-4 on the power play and Buffalo State was scoreless in three power-play opportunities.

The same two teams meet again on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Campus Center Ice Arena.

NOW ON AIR: Women's Hockey v. Buffalo State

Benjamin Amey and Cathleen Richards are live at the Campus Centre Ice Arena for tonight's women's hockey game. Tune in!

Men's Hockey Wins 8th of 9

The Oswego State men's ice hockey team won 5-2 at Buffalo State on Friday night.

The Lakers scored three goals in the middle period, as Tony DiNunzio, Matt Whitehead (pictured), and Ryan Ellis scored to give Oswego State a 4-1 lead. Buffalo State pulled to within two with a goal early in the third period, but Whitehead's second of the night sealed the victory with 4:07 left to play.

Rich Zalewski scored in the first period for the Lakers, but Nick Petriello answered for the Bengals in the final minute of the period to tie the score.

Laker goalie Ryan Scott made 23 saves in the game and Kyle Gunn-Taylor stopped 28 shots for Buffalo State

Oswego State is now 15-5-2 overall and 11-2-1 in the SUNYAC. Buffalo State fell to 10-10-3 overall and 5-6-3 in the conference. The Lakers play at Fredonia on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Perioli is SUNYAC POTW Again

Nick Perioli of the Oswego State men's basketball team has been named SUNYAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week ending Jan. 27.

Perioli led the Lakers to three wins last week, and played in all 120 minutes of the victories over Utica, Buffalo State, and Fredonia.

He scored a season-high 27 points in a 91-83 victory over Buffalo State on Friday and also added seven assists and five rebounds. For the week, Perioli averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.67 rebounds per contests. He had 19 assists and just six turnovers, and made 13-of-15 free-throw attempts during the three games.

Perioli, a senior from Liverpool, was also honored by the conference as Co-Player of the Week on Jan. 14. The Lakers play at home Tuesday night against Morrisville with the women's game beginning at 6 p.m. followed by the men's game at 8.

Basketball Programs Victorious Again

The Oswego State men's basketball team defeated visiting Buffalo State 91-83 on Friday night in a SUNY Athletic Conference basketball game at Max Ziel Gymnasium in Oswego. Senior guard Nick Perioli scored a season-high 27 points and also added seven assists for the Lakers, who are now 11-4 on the season and improved to 5-2 in the conference. Sophomore forward Mahamoud Jabbi added 24 points on 12-of-17 shooting and also had four rebounds and three blocked shots.

The Lakers trailed 16-6 five minutes into the game but worked back in the first half and trailed by just two at halftime, largely due to Tommy Downing's 14 first-half points.

Oswego State took the lead early in the second half on a 3-pointer by Perioli and never trailed again. They stretched the lead to as many as 11 points and held off one final Buffalo State charge for the victory.

Downing (16 points) and Kyle Reuter (13 points) also scored in double-figures for Oswego State. Dom White had five points and eight rebounds.

Dion Mozelle scored 22 points and had 17 rebounds for the Bengals, who are now 4-9 overall and 2-5 in the SUNYAC.

Oswego State hosts Fredonia on Saturday at 8 p.m. while Buffalo State visits Morrisville.

The Oswego State women's basketball team made its first six 3-point attempts of the second half to pull away from visiting Buffalo State en route to a 69-41 win over the Bengals at Max Ziel Gymnasium in Oswego on Friday night.

Sarah Lombard led the Lakers with 16 points and Sam Driscoll finished the game with 14.

The Lakers rallied from slow start with a pair of 12-2 runs that turned an early seven-point deficit into a nine-point halftime lead, and never trailed again. Oswego State came out of the locker room and found its range in the second half, connecting on six 3-pointers to turn the game into a rout.

Heather Merino added nine points and six rebounds for the Lakers and Alaina Hannahs and Traci Bacon each scored eight points.

Toya Parks led Buffalo State with 13 points.

Oswego State is now 7-8 overall and 2-5 in the SUNYAC while Buffalo State fell to 5-11 overall and 1-6 in the conference.

The Lakers host Fredonia on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Lakers continue to fall in the polls

The Oswego State men's ice hockey team fell to bottom of the latest USCHO top 15 division III poll. The Lakers (5-3-2) went 1-0-1 over the weekend homestand against Buffalo State and Fredonia. They are now tied with New England College (4-0-1) for the #14 ranking. The Lakers will host the Pilgrims on Jan. 5 at the Campus Center.

Elmira tops this week's poll, rising from the #4 spot. The Soaring Eagles are 7-0-1, their only tie was at home against Oswego State on Oct. 27. They defeated #6 Manhatanville (7-2-1) 4-3 on the road Saturday. SUNYAC leader Plattsbugh (11-1-0) climbed two spots and is tied with the Eagles for #1. They're lone loss was at Elmira on Nov. 17. The Cardinals host Oswego State on Jan. 25. They defeated the Lakers 4-2 at the Campus Center on Nov. 2.

2007 Pathfinder Bank Oswego Hockey Classic participant St. Norbert (7-1-1) rose two spots to #3. The Green Knights received two first-place votes. They will open the second annual tournament at the Campus Center against Curry Dec. 29. The Lakers will face Amherst in the nightcap. The winners of those games will square off Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.

Wisconsin-River Falls fell from #1 to #4 this week. The Falcons were shutout 5-0 at St. Thomas on Nov. 27 before winning a pair of home games over the weekend. River Falls is 1-1-2 this year when playing away from Hunt Arena. They still managed to hold onto a number one ranking in this week's poll. Hobart fell from #2 to #9 after losing two straight on the road. The Statesmen lost at #6 Manhatanville Friday before falling at Utica Saturday. Hobart defeated the Lakers 5-2 on Nov. 17.

Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Elmira	( 9)	7-0-1	283	4
1	Plattsburgh	( 8)	11-1-0	283	3
3	St. Norbert	( 2)	7-1-1	245	5
4	Wis.-River Falls	( 1)	7-1-3	239	1
5	Wis.-Stout		10-1-1	195	8
6	Manhattanville		7-2-1	185	6
7	St. Thomas		6-1-1	173	10
8	Babson		6-0-1	171	9
9	Hobart		8-2-0	160	2
10	Southern Maine		5-0-1	109	14
11	Norwich		4-2-0	80	11
12	Bowdoin		4-1-0	73	14
13	Middlebury		3-2-1	59	7
14	New England College		4-0-1	41	NR
14	Oswego		5-3-2	41	12

The Story of Plattsburgh and Oswego State

Saturday, March 6, 1976. Basketball coach Bob Knight, 35, leads his Indiana Hoosiers to a 96-67 win over Ohio State at Assembly Hall. The victory makes Indiana the first team since John Wooden's UCLA Bruins with back-to-back undefeated regular seasons.

Seven hundred miles to the northeast, a hockey game was taking place inside an old Navy drill hall near Lake Ontario; a barn known as the Golden Romney Field House. An upstart SUNY Plattsburgh team was in the home stretch of their inaugural season. Coach John Cocker led the Cardinals to a respectable 13-10-1 record up to that point.

The Oswego State Lakers were celebrating their program's tenth season and looking for momentum heading into post-season play. Coach Herb Hancock was in his eighth season as head coach of the Lakers.

Oswego State would win the first Cardinal-Laker game that night. There is no record of the final score, only an "L" placed in the results column of the Plattsburgh media guide. Lakers coach Herb Hammond could not have known at the time that the Cardinals would go on to become his program's most hated rival. Nor could he have known that he would be the spark to ignite the intense feud.

Following the 1980 season, after twelve years at the helm of Oswego State, Herb Hammond left the school. His new employer? SUNY Plattsburgh. Hammond's final Laker squad was the program's greatest of all time to that point. They won their first SUNYAC title, finished with 27 wins, and scored 245 goals. Hammond had guided Oswego State hockey to its highest point, and walked away. A rivalry was born.

If the Plattsburgh-Oswego State feud needed anymore fuel, it would come at the end of the 1980-81 season. Hammond's Cardinals ended Oswego State's season in the ECAC West playoffs. Worse, they did it at Romney Field House in front of the Laker faithful. Hammond would leave Plattsburgh a year later to coach Division I Brown. He would eventually sign with the New York Rangers as a scout, and has his name eternally etched in Lord Stanley's Cup as a result of the franchise's 1994 championship.

The animosity between Plattsburgh and Oswego State would not leave with Hammond. The teams would square off numerous times over the next few decades, including several post-season meetings. The Lakers put an end to Plattsburgh's 1982-83 season with a 9-6 win in the ECAC West playoffs. However, the Cardinals finished with a better SUNYAC record and were crowned conference champions a record fourth time, surpassing the Lakers mark of three titles.

From 1977-1993, the only school to win a SUNYAC title other than Plattsburgh or Oswego State would be the 1986 Geneseo Knights. The conference had instituted a playoff the year before that. The participants in that inaugural 1985 SUNYAC title game? Plattsburgh and Oswego State. The result? A victory for the Cardinals at Romney Field House.

The 1986-87 season saw both schools advance to the Frozen Four in Plattsburgh. Both the Lakers and Cardinals won their semi-final games to set up a dream-match final. Plattsburgh had already defeated Oswego State on five occasions that season. A sixth win would prove to be a cake walk as the Cards rolled to an 8-3 championship victory. However, the title would later be vacated due to Plattsburgh's use of ineligible athletes.

Perhaps the most painful loss for Laker fans took place on Feb. 25, 2006. Romney Field House was to close down at the end of the season. The Lakers finished their regular season home schedule with wins over Plattsburgh and Potsdam. A road win over Brockport gave Oswego State the top spot going into the SUNYAC tournament. That meant a bye into the semifinals and home ice. Romney's doors would open again.

Plattsburgh swept Buffalo State in the conference quarterfinals and made their way to Oswego. The Cards beat the Lakers 6-3 in game one, scoring the game's last six goals, three in the final nine minutes. They were 60 minutes away from closing Romney Field House for good.

Oswego State entered game two with their backs against the wall. A loss meant the end of the season and the end of an era.

Senior Jocelyn Dubord saw his Laker career on the line. Perhaps that is what brought out his aggressiveness in the game's opening minutes. Unfortunately, he proved to be too aggressive for referee Dan Murphy's taste. Dubord was sent to the penalty box twice in the game's first four minutes. The Laker penalty kill unit was able to hold off the Cardinal attack each time.

The game remained scoreless until Derrell Levy found the back of the net in the ninth minute. The Lakers had struck first for the second straight night. However, Plattsburgh would waste no time settling the score. Dubord would go to the box once again, this time for hooking. Waiting for him was Rick Varone, who had been whistled for interference some 41 seconds earlier. Plattsburgh's Kevin Galan capitalized on the 5-on-3 as he lit the lamp in the 13th minute. The clubs skated to the locker room all squared at one.

The penalty bug bit the Lakers again to start the second period. Ryan Woodward and Matt Whitehead could only watch from the sin bin as Galan found twine once again in the game's 24th minute. Moments later, Deryk Whitehead's marker put the Cards up 3-1 going into the second break. The Romney rink looked to be on life support, with just 20 minutes separating the old barn from extinction.

Oswego State took the ice for the third period poised for a comeback. The Lakers were unable to capitalize on a pair of early Cardinal penalties, they would finish the game 0-for-5 on the power play despite leading the nation in that category. But in the ninth minute, Laker freshman Matt Whitehead would find the back of the net for the second time in as many nights. Oswego State was within goal and riding momentum. Then a bagel hit the ice.

It had been a long-standing practice at both Plattsburgh and Oswego to throw objects onto the ice after the home team scored its first goal. Plattsburgh fans would throw tennis balls in the games played at Stafford Ice Arena, Laker fans would throw bagels in games at Romney. Any object thrown onto the ice after the first goal would result in a delay of game penalty against the home team. The playoffs were no exception, and Garren Reisweber skated to the box to serve his two minutes on account of the fans.

Plattsburgh capitalized five seconds before the penalty was set to expire. Sophomore Mike Baccaro scored Plattsburgh's third power play goal of the night. The Cardinals led 4-2 with less than 12 minutes to play. The Lakers never recovered, and Plattsburgh tacked on an empty net goal for the final tally of 5-2. After 39 years of service as home to the Lakers, Romney Field House had seen its last game.

Nearly one year after closing Oswego State's old house, Plattsburgh looked to be the first visiting victor in their new one. The Lakers had won their first 12 games at their brand new Campus Center Ice Arena home. No opponent had managed more than three goals in the new facility, and eight of them were held to a goal or less. The Cardinals came in with just one win in their last three games. They had struggled with conference foes, going 4-4-4 in SUNYAC play.

Three minutes into their Campus Center debut, Plattsburgh was ahead 1-0. They became only the second opposing team to hold a lead in the new Laker barn, Geneseo had become the first two weeks prior in a losing effort. However, Oswego State evened the score up on a Rich Zalewski marker before the end of the period.

That would be the last Laker goal of the night as Chris Molinaro stopped 27 shots to help Plattsburgh to a 4-1 victory. Plattsburgh had etched their name in Oswego hockey history once again.

More than seven months later, Oswego State opens their 2007-08 SUNYAC season against none other than #14 Plattsburgh. The two teams are picked to finish at the top of the conference standings in the pre-season poll.

Ryan Maloney

Special thanks to CardinalHockey.net for linking to this article.