MATT VOLZ
Asst. Sports Editor
HOCKEY
Fredonia State’s men’s ice hockey team finished their regular season with a record of 7-17, which was good enough to claim the sixth and final seed in the SUNYAC playoffs.
In the first round of the tournament, the team traveled to face the third-seeded Knights of SUNY Geneseo on Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, resulting in a season-ending 3-0 loss.
SUNY-AC playoff game against SUNY Geneseo on Wednesday, Feb. 22. Image taken by KAYLA WELSH | Staff Photographer.
The Knights scored two goals in the final 6:08 of the first period and added a third with just 2:06 remaining in the second period.
Fredonia State goalie Logan Dyck stopped 47 of 50 shots, while Knights goalie Matt Petizian turned aside all 21 shots in the shutout victory.
Plattsburgh State defeated SUNY Oswego in the championship game on Saturday, Mar. 4 by a final score of 2-1.
The win marked Plattsburgh State’s 24th conference title and their first since 2017.
LACROSSE
Fredonia State’s women’s lacrosse team is off to a hot start this season, sitting at 3-1 so far.
On Wednesday, Mar. 1, a trip to Alfred University saw the Blue Devils come away with a 20-8 win.
Half of Fredonia State’s goals for the game were scored in the second quarter alone, as they outscored the Alfred Saxons 10-2 in that frame.
Freshman Camryn Jacobs led the way in scoring for the Blue Devils with five goals, while senior Erin Woods tallied four and senior Julie Culver scored three. Jacobs and Woods led the way in total points with five each.
The Blue Devils outshot the Saxons 38-15 in the game, including 17-3 in the second quarter.
On Saturday, Mar. 4, Fredonia State faced Allegheny College in their home opener, which resulted in a loss.
The Blue Devils found themselves trailing 9-3 midway through the third quarter, and despite a three-goal run that cut the deficit to 9-6, Allegheny then scored five in a row to pull away for good.
Culver led the way in scoring with three goals, while Woods tallied two. Freshman Cailin Karalus recorded the team’s only assist.
Fredonia State was outshot in the game, 31-18.
The Blue Devils will be in action again on Wednesday, Mar. 8 as they host Keuka College at 4 p.m.
BASEBALL
Fredonia State’s baseball team began its 2023 season on Friday, Mar. 2 with a doubleheader against Westminster College in Pennsylvania.
Both games consisted of seven innings instead of the typical nine, as is typically the case for doubleheaders.
In the first game, the Blue Devils rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 8-8, but a six-run rally by Westminster in the bottom half of the inning doomed Fredonia State en route to a 14-8 loss.
Senior Jake Wentland, sophomore Ethan Behnke, and senior Matt Wojcik each recorded two hits, while Wentland drove in three runs and Behnke drove in two.
Overall, the Blue Devils were outhit 13-9. Hunter Stellato was credited with the win for Westminster, while freshman Morgan Zientara was given the loss for the Blue Devils.
In the second game, the Blue Devils found themselves trailing 4-0 after four innings.
Despite a rally that saw them score two runs in each of the final two innings, it wasn’t enough, as Westminster came away with the 5-4 win.
Behnke had another successful outing at the plate, going 3-4 with a run scored. Wentland also recorded his second two-hit game of the day.
Overall, the hits were even in the game, with both teams recording eight.
Logan Exler picked up the win for Westminster, while freshman Nick Syposs took the loss for Fredonia State.
The Blue Devils will travel to Houghton to take on the Highlanders on Tuesday, Mar. 7 at 3 p.m., before traveling to Florida for two weeks.
The team’s home opener is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 28 at 4 p.m. against the Nittany Lions of Penn State Behrend.