Oswego Women's Hockey First Half Recap

With the first half of the 2012-13 hockey season in the books for the Oswego State Lakers, we figured now we be a great time to look back and see what has gone down in this first half of the year. It has indeed been an interesting first half for the team, especially considering the fact that due to a ruling coming down from the college, the roster size was cut in half. This was due to things beyond the control of the team and they have to make due with what they have. What they have has been good enough to get the team to a 6-5-1 record overall and even better a 6-2-0 record in ECAC West play. Things started off with an exhibition game against the Toronto Midget Aeros and a tough 2-1 loss. Regular season play kicked off with a New England swing against Castleton and New England College, a trip that ended without a win. Castleton beat the Lakers 3-0 and then Oswego skated to a 1-1 tie with New England College, with Lizzy Marks scoring the first goal of the year for the team.

Oswego would kick off the month of November with a home and home against the Utica Pioneers. First game was in Utica, with the Pioneers skating away with a 3-1 victory. The next night was the first home game of the year for the team, and it resulted in the first win of the season, a 5-3 victory. Bridget Smith picked up her first win of the year, while Mady Paul and Melissa Seamont had the big days offensively.  Next up for Oswego was a weekend home series against Potsdam which resulted in Back to Back Shutouts in the weekend series. Oswego got the first shutout with a 4-0 win behind Bridget Smith making 22 saves and scoring from Lizzy Marks, Mady Paul, Emma Smetaniuk, and Chelsea Hunt. Potsdam returned the favor to Oswego the next day, shutting the Lakers out 2-0, handing the Lakers its only other loss in conference play this season.

Next up for Oswego was a weekend road trip right before thanksgiving to Neumann college to take on the Knights, and exact more revenge for the playoff loss two years ago. Oswego walked away from the weekend with a pair of wins, the first one by a 4-2 score and game two was a 2-1 overtime win. The overtime hero was Leslie Jarvis, who connected for her first career goal. Oswego would return from the thanksgiving break for a Tuesday night home game against Hamilton. Emma Smetaniuk scored the lone Oswego goal in a 3-1 Hamilton win. Oswego's final three games of the first half came at home and all played in December. Its started off with a weekend series against Chatham University, with Oswego outscoring Chatham by a combined score of 10-1 in the two games. In the first game Olivia Boersen powered the offense with a  four point game in the 6-1 victory. The star of the game two 4-0 victory was freshman goalie Tori Trovato, who earned her first career win and first career shutout making 12 saves. The Lakers finished the first half with a tough 2-1 loss to Amherst at home with Jocelyn St. Clair scoring the only goal. Oswego finished with a first half record of 6-5-1 and 6-2-0 in conference.

The only two losses in ECAC west play were to Utica College (11/2/12) and Potsdam (11/10/12). Oswego has relied pretty heavily on Bridget Smith in Net, and she has not disappointed. In nine starts this year, Smith has posted a record of 5-3-1 with a 1.54 GAA, a .935 SV % and one shutout (11/9 vs. Potsdam). Tori Trovato has started two games this year and has a record of 1-1-0 with a 1.50 GAA, a .932 SV% and one shutout, her shutout and win coming on the same day against Chatham. As for Catherine Cote, she has seen action in one game this year, a loss against Utica at the Aud. Her record stands at 0-1-0 .893 SV% and a GAA of 3.00. Unfortunately for Cote, her season was cut short to just the one game, as she was shut down for the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery. We wish her a speedy recovery from the injury.

With the lineup being as depleted as it was coming into the season, the big question was going to be who was going to lead this team? The question has been answered in a pretty big way. Melissa Seamont in scoring with 14 points on four goals and ten assists. Right behind her in scoring is team captain Olivia Boersen, who has 11 points on four goals seven assists. Leading the team in goal scoring this year has been Mady Paul who has five through the first half of the year. Aside from a few first from the goalies this year, there have been a few firsts on offense as well. This year we have seen the first career goals for Leslie Jarvis (11/18OT Winner at Neumann), Breanne Reith (11/17 at Neumann), Lizzy Marks (11/27 at New England College), and finally Bailee Goodon (11/17 at Neumann). Seamont and Boersen have had the best individual games this year, Boersen did it with a four point game against Chatham on December 1st with a goal and three assists. As for Seaomont, she has had two different nights of scoring three points, December 1st against Chatham, and November 3rd against Utica.

The second half of the season is going to be a tough one for Oswego. The Lakers resume the season with a weekend series at home on January 5th and 6th at home against St. Norbert. Next the team travels for its only road trip of the month to the north country to play the Plattsburgh State Cardinals in Plattsburgh on January 12th and 13th. Oswego then returns home for the start of a six game homestand starting with the Buffalo State Bengals making the trip to Oswego January 18th and 19th. Then Stevenson University makes the trip to the shores of Lake Ontario January 25th and 26th. Senior weekend in Oswego will wrap up the homestand on February 8th and 9th as the Soaring Eagles of Elmira come to town. Oswego finishes out the regular season on a two game road trip to Cortland on February 15th and 16th.

Will Oswego continue its hot streak of making the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row? It looks like it will happen again but only time will tell!