Women's Lacrosse | 4/28/2026 7:27:45 PM
No. 3 seed SUNY Brockport (12-5) and No. 4 seed Utica University (11-6) advanced to the 2026 Empire 8 Women's Lacrosse Semifinals after earning first round wins on Tuesday, April 28. SUNY Brockport defeated No. 6 seed Nazareth University, 13-5, while Utica defeated No. 5 Hartwick College, 18-9.
SUNY Brockport will head to SUNY Geneseo to take on the Knights for the second consecutive season in the first semifinal on Thursday at 4 p.m., while Utica will head West to play No. 1 seed St. John Fisher, who is looking to win its 14th consecutive Empire 8 Championship in the second semifinal at 7 p.m. SUNY Geneseo defeated semifinal opponent SUNY Brockport, 14-7 on April 1, while St. John Fisher earned a 16-4 win over Utica, also on April 1.
The two semifinal winners will play in the title game on Saturday, May 2 at the highest remaining seed. The winner will receive an automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse Championship, which begins with first and second round action May 9-11.
NO. 3 SUNY BROCKPORT 13, NO. 6 NAZARETH 5
SUNY Brockport used a 7-1 run that spanned the second and third quarters to pull away and defeat Nazareth University, 13-5 to earn a postseason win for the second straight season.
Hailey Lewkowich and Amanda Evans led Brockport with three goals and an assist apiece, while Alivia Cross scored three times and Tristan Davis had a goal and two assists. Lewkowich caused four turnovers, while Kaeli McCarthy added six draw controls.
Brockport held a 28-14 edge in shots and won the ground ball battle, 25-9.
Five different players scored for Nazareth. Gwen Newtown scored a goal and added three assists for the Golden Flyers, who finish the 2026 season with a 4-14 mark.
NO. 4 UTICA 18, NO. 5 HARTWICK 9
Utica snapped a 6-6 tie by scoring 11 of the game’s next 12 goals over a two quarter span to roll to an 18-9 win over Hartwick from Gaetano Stadium. Utica moves on to the Empire 8 Semifinals for the seventh time in the last eight years.
Alyssa Specchio led the Pioneers with eight points on five goals and three assists, while Bella Kolb had four goals and an assist and Alexis Altieri had four goals and four draw controls. Maria Stuhlman had eight draw controls, two caused turnovers and a goal and two helpers.
Makayla Purdy made eight saves in net for Utica. The Pioneers held a 27-21 edge in shots.
Parker Laurin led Hartwick with six goals and an assist, while Adelyn Esce scored two goals.
Hartwick finishes the season with an 7-10 record.
2026 Empire 8 Women’s Lacrosse Championship Schedule
Tuesday, April 28 – First Round
No. 3 SUNY Brockport defeated No. 6 Nazareth University, 13-5 – BOX SCORE
No. 4 Utica University defeated No. 5 Hartwick College, 18-9 –
BOX SCORE
Thursday, April 30 – Semifinals (at Higher Seed)
No. 4 Utica at No. 1 St. John Fisher University – 7 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
No. 3 SUNY Brockport at No. 2 SUNY Geneseo –
4 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS
Saturday, May 2 – Championship (at Highest Remaining Seed)
Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2 – TBA at Highest Remaining Seed – VIDEO/LIVE STATS