OAKDALE, N.Y. — Ryan Mayeda rarely gets on the field. But he’s been on quite a ride.

A Seneca Valley graduate, Mayeda is a senior goalie on the Dowling College men’s lacrosse team, which heads to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Saturday for the NCAA Division II national championship game.

The Golden Lions (12-2) face No. 3 Limestone (17-1) at 1 p.m. Dowling is 42-12 in Mayeda’s four years with the team, including a national semifinal appearance in 2010.

One problem — Mayeda’s career has followed the same timeline as fellow Dowling senior Ryan Dougherty, an all-conference goalie who ranks second in the nation with a .630 save percentage.

“It’s not a problem for me,” Mayeda said. “Ryan is one of my best friends. He’s an incredible goalie and I do what I can to help him.

“I try to keep the team focused on the sidelines, keep their spirits up. As long as we’re winning, I’m happy.”

Mayeda has seen action in four games this season, stopping six of 10 shots in just under 15 minutes of play. He has not started a game all season.

“I’m ready if needed,” he said. “I still practice every day. I’m still a contributing member of this team.”

Dowling coach Tim Boyle echoes those sentiments.

“He’s almost like a second coach,” Boyle said. “Ryan’s attitide and approach are phenomenal. We have a part-time goalie coach, but he’s a volunteer and can’t be there all the time.

“When the goalie comes off the field, it’s good to have someone with insight who’s noticed something from the sidelines that maybe the starter hasn’t. Ryan Mayeda fills that void for Ryan Dougherty.”

Mayeda has been playing lacrosse since seventh grade. When he was a freshman at Seneca Valley, the Raiders’ varsity goalie was a senior.

“We needed someone to step in, so I switched positions,” Mayeda said. “I went to a couple of goalie camps and kept getting better. I wound up starting for three years.”

Those were three playoff years, including a trip to the WPIAL championship game.

Dowling reached the natyional title gamne in 2006 and Mayeda attemnded that gasme with his father.

“It didn’t take me long to decide I wanted to go there,” Mayeda said. “I made a visit to the campus and signed the following day.”

Golden Lion assistant coach Mike Taylor handled the recruiting of Mayeda.

“We saw him on film, then Mike went out and watched him compete at a summer camp,” Boyle said. “Ryan and our program became comfortable with each other fairly quickly.”

Mayeda is a captain on this year’s team, as are the rest of the seniors.

“Senior leadership is a big part of our success and I didn’t want to emphasize any one senior’s responsibility that way over the rest,” Boyle said. “I wanted to dole that out evenly.”

If Dowling wins the national title game, it will set a team record for most wins in a season. It would also avenge a 15-7 loss to Limestone earlier thismonth.

The Golden Lions already avenged their only other loss this year — a 7-6 decision to No. 1 and unbeaten Mercyhurst — by nipping the Lakers 7-6 in overtime in the national semifinals.

Mayeda graduated with a business management degree, and minor in marketing, a few days ago. He will not be done with lacrosse after Saturday.

“I’m going to Australia June 5 to coach youth lacrosse and play for a club team there,” he said. “I plan to stay involved in the game for a long time.

“If I can go somewhere where lacrosse hasn’t really arrived as a big sport yet, teach the game and help it grow, that’s what I want to do.”