Field Hockey | 11/7/2026 6:01:00 PM
GENESEO, NY - Ella Greico scored both goals as the top-seeded SUNY Geneseo field hockey defeated second-seeded Hartwick College 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at College Stadium to win its third-straight Empire 8 championship. The Knights improve to 16-3 overall and have now won the Empire 8 tournament title three years in a row. Hartwick falls to 12-6 in 2026, advancing to the E8 Championship game for the fourth time in the last five seasons and sixth time since 2019.
Geneseo will find out their opponent and location for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament during the 2026 NCAA Division III Field Hockey selection show on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. Fans can watch at www.ncaa.com.
Geneseo scored early, as Greico finished her own rebound at 2:27 of the first quarter to make it 1-0 after a tremendous diving save from Hartwick goalkeeper Ava Reynolds. The Knights out-shot Hartwick 6-2 in the quarter.
Neither team scored in the second quarter, with Geneseo holding a 5-1 edge in shots and a 3-1 edge in penalty corners.
Hartwick pushed in the third quarter, earning seven penalty corners, including six in a span of about a minute, but Geneseo's defense blocked every attempt. At 40:40, Geneseo missed a penalty stroke chance at the other end, and the score stayed at 1-0.
Greico added the second goal early in the fourth quarter, scoring at 53:02 off a Kyra Giannelli assist to make it 2-0.
Geneseo's defense held through a late stretch of Hartwick penalty corners, and Bridget Schafer finished the shutout with one save in 60 minutes.
Geneseo out-shot Hartwick 23-10 and held a 17-1 edge in shots on goal. Hartwick led 16-12 in penalty corners but put just one shot on goal. Reynolds was outstanding in net for the Hawks, stopping 14 shots, including a leaping save on a penalty stroke late in the third quarter that kept the score 1-0.
Geneseo goalkeeper Bridget Schafer set the new program record for career shutouts in the game, recording her 14th career shutout to surpass the record set by Sarah Quinlan.
Ava Harman was named the Tournament MVP, scoring in the semifinal win against St. John Fisher and assisting the game-winning goal.
Geneseo has now won three Empire 8 championships in a row and finished the conference season 10-0. The Knights have now won 34 straight games against E8 opponents, regular season and postseason, since joining the league in 2024.
Geneseo will find out its NCAA Tournament fate Sunday night, when the NCAA Selection Show airs at 9 p.m. on ncaa.com.