FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State Blue Devils and two other teams are tied for the final two playoff spots heading into the final weekend of the SUNYAC regular season.
The Blue Devils, Plattsburgh Cardinals, and Brockport Golden Eagles take 4-12 records conference records into their Friday games. By the end of play Saturday, one of the three will own the No. 7 seed, one the No. 8, and one will finish in ninth place and out of the playoffs.
Fredonia State is the only one of the three with home games remaining. The Blue Devils will entertain last-place Potsdam at 6 p.m. Friday. They then play host to Plattsburgh at 2 p.m. Saturday – the lone head-to-head match-up in the group.
The Cardinals visit Buffalo State on Friday before making the trip to Fredonia for Saturday's game, while Brockport closes out its regular season at Oswego and at Cortland.
The Blue Devils will most likely need to win both games this weekend to make the SUNYAC Tournament, which is scheduled to begin next Tuesday with four first-round games at on-campus sites. But they could split the two games and still get in, depending on any of several potential tiebreakers.
Plattsburgh defeated Fredonia State in their previous meeting this season, so the Cardinals enter the weekend with that working to their advantage. Brockport, meanwhile, has the edge in a three-team tie based on a victory over New Paltz, currently the No. 2 seed. All three teams are 0-2 against current No. 1 seed Geneseo, while the Blue Devils and Cardinals are both also 0-2 vs. New Paltz.
Odd as it may seem, Fredonia State's victory last weekend over Buffalo State could also factor into the tiebreakers, but only if the Bengals defeat Plattsburgh on Friday.
The Fredonia State men are also at home this weekend against Potsdam and Plattsburgh. Game times are 8 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. The Blue Devils have been eliminated from playoff contention.
ON THE ROAD: The track and field team will compete Friday at the RIT Invitational starting at 5 p.m. … The men's hockey team visits Morrisville State at 7 p,m. to close out the regular season. The Blue Devils have already secured the No. 6 seed and will play next Wednesday on the road in the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament.
