Field Hockey | 11/6/2019 8:30:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – St. John Fisher College, Utica College, Hartwick College and Nazareth College will vie for the 2019 Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship, which takes place on Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9, hosted by top-seed St. John Fisher. No. 2 seed Utica will take on third-seeded Hartwick in the first semifinal at 2:30 p.m. Friday, while Fisher will face No. 4 seed Nazareth at 5 p.m. The two semifinal winners will meet for the 2019 Empire 8 Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The league champion receives an automatic berth into the 2019 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship Tournament, which begins on Nov. 15-16.
Participating Teams
No. 1 – St. John Fisher (7-0 E8, 15-4 Overall)
No. 2 – Utica College (6-1 E8, 8-10 Overall)
No. 3 – Hartwick College (5-2 E8, 11-6 Overall)
No. 4 – Nazareth College (3-4 E8, 8-11 Overall)
SEMIFINAL #1 – No. 3 Hartwick vs. No. 2 Utica
No. 2 seed Utica enters the tournament having won six-of-seven games in Empire 8 play. The Pioneers boast a balanced attack, with four 10-point scorers, including junior Sydney Scaccia, who leads the team in scoring with 22 points on nine goals and four assists. Junior Sabrina Whitehouse is right behind with 20 points on six goals and a team-best eight assists. Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Chamberlain has played in all 18 games this season and has 146 saves, a 2.41 goals against average and a .764 save percentage. Chamberlain allowed just eight goals in seven E8 contests.
Third-seeded Hartwick clinched a postseason berth with a 2-0 win over two-time E8 defending champion Washington & Jefferson on Nov. 2. The Hawks have out-scored opponents, 49-21 this season and boast six different players with at least 10 points. First-year standout Sydney Gagnon leads the team in scoring with 13 goals and 30 points, while junior Brooke Singer is second on the team with seven goals and 16 points. Goalkeeper Allyson Osborne, a junior, has played in all 17 games this season and is 11-6 with a 1.20 goals against average, six shutouts and an .844 save percentage.
Utica and Hartwick met recently on Oct. 26, with the Pioneers pulling out a 2-1 win. Madeline Krecidlo scored both Utica goals, including the game-winner with 9:13 left in regulation that snapped a 1-1 tie. Brooke Singer scored for Hartwick, while Allyson Osborne made seven saves.
SEMIFINAL #2 – No. 4 Nazareth at No. 1 St. John Fisher
Top-seed St. John Fisher enters the tournament having out-scored its foes, 34-6 in seven Empire 8 conference contests this season and 68-24 overall. The Cardinals have won 15 contests in 2019 and come into the postseason having won four straight and eight of nine, with their lone defeat, a one-goal battle at No. 1 Middlebury College. Junior Bre Socker is in the top-five nationally with 28 goals and 62 points, while senior Lindsay Scott is among the national leaders with 19 assists and also has nine goals for 37 points. Gianna Palma and Reghan Amoroso have also combined for 17 goals. In net, Kelly Bergamo is 15-4 with a 1.29 goals against average and a .739 save percentage.
No. 4 seed Nazareth has out-scored opponents, 57-37 this season. Senior Jennifer Hilts leads the team and is third in the Empire 8 with 14 goals, while adding five assists for 33 points. She is among Nazareth’s all-time leading scorers. The Golden Flyers also boast a pair of high-scoring newcomers in Caroline Desautels and Bailey Selman, who each have 10 goals and 23 points. Goalkeeper Amanda Chuttey has played in all 19 games this season and has a 2.01 goals against average and an .814 save percentage. She also leads the Empire 8 with 158 saves.
The Cardinals and Golden Flyers closed out the regular season at Growney Stadium on Nov. 2, with the Cardinals pulling out a 3-2 win. Socker scored a pair of goals to lead Fisher, while Natalie L’Hommedieu and Alexandra Livesey tallied for Nazareth. Fisher out-shot Nazareth, 27-4. Chuttey made 15 saves for Nazareth.
Utica is looking for its fifth Empire 8 Championship, Hartwick is attempting to win its fourth title and first since 2005. St. John Fisher (2016) and Nazareth (2007) are trying to both win their second league championship.
This weekend's championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8).
2019 Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship Schedule
Friday, November 8 - Semifinals - at St. John Fisher
#2 Utica vs. #3 Hartwick - 2:30 p.m. -
VIDEO -
LIVE STATS
#1 St. John Fisher vs. #4 Nazareth - 5 p.m. -
VIDEO -
LIVE STATS
Saturday, November 9 - Championship Final
Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2 - 1 p.m. -
VIDEO -
LIVE STATS
Admission
$6.00 - Adults
$4.00 - Students and seniors with ID
Free - Children under 12
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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