Top Four Seeds Advance to 2025 Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Semifinals

Women's Soccer | 11/1/2025 6:45:55 PM

Top seeds SUNY Brockport, St. John Fisher University, Nazareth University and Hartwick College advanced to the 2025 Empire 8 Championship Tournament Semifinal round after advancing in quarterfinal action on Saturday, Nov. 1. SUNY Brockport defeated No. 8 Alfred University, 3-1, while St. John Fisher out-lasted No. 7 Houghton University, 1-0. Nazareth defeated No. 6 Alfred University, 3-0, while Hartwick earned a 3-1 win over No. 5 Utica University.

No. 1 Brockport and No. 4 Hartwick will face off in the first Empire 8 Semifinal on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m., while No. 2 St. John Fisher and No. 3 Nazareth meet in the second semifinal, at 6 p.m. Earlier this season, Brockport defeated Hartwick, 3-0 on the road on Sept. 27, while St. John Fisher also went on the road and defeated Nazareth, 2-1 to close out the regular season on Oct. 29.

NO. 1 SUNY BROCKPORT 3, NO. 8 ALFRED 1

NO. 2 ST. JOHN FISHER 1, NO. 7 HOUGHTON 0
The Cardinals controlled play from start to finish on Saturday afternoon, defeating Houghton University 1–0 in the conference quarterfinals at Growney Stadium. With the win, Fisher improves to 11-4-2 overall and moves on to the semifinal round.

How It Happened
Fisher dictated possession throughout the match, generating consistent pressure in the attacking third and creating chance after chance against a compact Houghton back line. The Cardinals outshot the Highlanders 26–7, held a 15–2 advantage in corner kicks, and forced Houghton goalkeeper Preslee Miller into 14 saves as Fisher pushed relentlessly for the opening goal.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 67th minute. After a sustained spell of pressure, a loose ball fell to Abby Fagnani inside the box, and the senior calmly placed her shot into the left side of the net to give Fisher the deserved 1–0 lead.

From there, the Cardinals managed the remainder of the match with composure, limiting Houghton's opportunities and playing out the final minutes to secure the shutout. Goalkeeper Isabella Ayers was not called on to make a save in the win.

Fisher recorded 26 shots, including 16 on goal. Fagnani's goal was her first of the season. The Cardinals earned 15 corner kicks, their highest total of the year.
 

NO. 3 NAZARETH 3, NO. 6 SUNY GENESEO 0
First-Year Giuliana Rodriguez netted two goals and sophomore Paige Barlow netted another, all in the second half, to lift Nazareth to a 3-0 victory over Geneseo on Saturday in the Empire Quarterfinals at Golden Flyer Stadium. The Golden Flyers (9-6-3) were the third seed and Geneseo (5-6-7) the sixth seed. Nazareth moves on to the semifinals where it will take on No. 2 St. John Fisher (11-4-2) who defeated No. 7 Houghton (11-5-3) 1-0 in their quarterfinal matchup. 

About 20 mins in Nazareth had its best chance of the half as Helena Reis curled a left-footed shot that forced the Geneseo keeper to make a diving save. Nazareth had an 11-5 edge in shots for the half and 23-6 edge for the game

Geneseo had a great chance eight minutes into the second half as a cross squeaked through the hands of Katriana Walls, leaving an open net, but the shot was put over the bar.

With her back to the goal, Tatum Overton played a wonderful ball to an overlapping Helena Reihs in the 55th minute. Reihs cut in towards goal and played the ball back to Rodriguez for a one-time shot on the ground into the near post to make it 1-0. Aubrey Rizzo beat a few defenders going towards goal in the 73rd minute and fed a short diagonal pass to Barlow for a one-time shot into the corner just outside the 6-yard box

Rodriguez notched her second of the day in the 80th minute, taking a throw-in at the corner of the 18-yard box, taking a few touches with the left foot before blasting a shot into the upper corner to make it 3-0.

Delaney Malone got the start in goal, making one save. Walls played the entire second half 

The win over Geneseo was Nazareth's first since 2018, a 1-0 win. The six previous meeting resulted in five losses and one tie.

NO. 4 HARTWICK 3, NO. 5 UTICA 1
The Hawks advance to Empire 8 Championship Semifinals with a big 3-1 win at home over the No.5 Utica University Pioneers. Hartwick improved to Hartwick (9-3-6, 5-2-4 Empire 8) while Utica had its season end at (8-6-5, 5-2-4 Empire 8)

The two teams were evenly matched in both conference rankings and statistics for the night, though the Hawks would hold a 13-10 edge in shots. Millie Caldon (Gilmanton, N.H.) would lead the drive for the Hawks with 5 total shots.

It was first-year Ella Grupe (Freehold, N.Y.) to get the Hawks on the board first off a rebound pass from Sara Moore (East Granby, Conn.)

Dahlia Landry (Manhattan, N.Y.) was also a bright spot for the Hawks on offense, earning herself a brace and bringing her season goal total to 3. Both Caldon and Jenna Mierek (Prospect, Conn.) would chip in for assists on her first goal of the night.

In goal for the Hawks, Mikayla Piersa (Huntington, N.Y.) made 2 great saves, both in the second half. The goalkeeper for the Pioneers would snag 3 in comparison.

It was an intense battle on a rainy Oneonta day between the No.5 Utica University Pioneers and the hosting No.4 Hartwick College Hawks, with both teams fighting for a semifinal spot in the 2025 Empire 8 Championships. The Hawks looked to establish dominance early, with Jenna Mierek making the first shot on goal attempt in the eighth minute. The Royal Blue and White would go on to snag four other shots in the first seventeen minutes of play. Utica was unable to get on the offense until the 20th minute, when the Pioneers sent a shot just out left. The teams went back and forth in the midfield, with Caldon leading the charge in shots. As the clock ticked down, the Hawks were able to put a corner kick on the board, jumpstarting an offensive attack that led to Grupe sinking a goal from Moore with less than three minutes in the first half. 

Intensity ramped up in the second period as both teams were aware of how their playoff runs were on the line. Still, the Hawks showed grit and determination to get the ball into Utica's defensive zone, with Mierek, Caldon and Landry combining with stellar passing in the box to sink a goal and bring the lead up to 2. However, Utica would answer back quickly off the kick off, making a run up the field and sneaking a goal past Piersa only thirty seconds later. 

With the game far from over, the battle in the midfield continued, with Hawks dominating possession but the Pioneers' defense standing tall. Both keepers would tally up several impressive saves as the threat of overtime loomed, but it would be Landry on her second goal of the night and third goal this season to bring the Hawks over the top in the 84th minute. Utica would fight back hard to make two more shot attempts in the final few minutes, but it would not be enough to overcome the deficit. The Hawks would walk away with a hard-fought and well-deserved 3-1 victory and a punched ticket to the Empire 8 Championship Semifinal round.