Bird's Eye View - 2019 Women's Soccer

With a new coach at the helm for the first time in nearly two decades, the Cardinals put together one of their finest seasons in recent memory.

Fisher made history in 2019 as the Cardinals went unbeaten in conference play with a 4-0-3 mark that included a 2-1 victory over rival Nazareth in the regular season finale to clinch the Empire 8 Regular Season title for the first time in program history.  As a result, Fisher, which went 7-7-3 on the season, hosted a postseason game inside Growney Stadium for the first time ever.  

With seven being named All-Conference at the conclusion of the campaign, head coach Molly Romano has Fisher poised to continue its success for years to come.

Here are the top moments from Fisher’s season:

Molly Romano Hired as Next Head Coach of Women's Soccer Program

The St. John Fisher College Athletics Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Molly Romano as its next head women's soccer coach. Romano, who brings a wealth of experience as a coach and as a standout student-athlete, becomes just the sixth women's soccer coach in the program's 40-year history.
 
"I am honored for the opportunity to become the next head coach of the women's soccer program at St. John Fisher College," Romano commented.  "I would like to thank Jill McCabe, the search committee, and the Fisher community for this incredible opportunity."

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New Era Begins for Women's Soccer

It's a new era for St. John Fisher College Women's Soccer as the team embarks on its 2019 season under the new leadership of head coach Molly Romano.  The Cardinals hit the pitch this Friday, August 30 at Babson College in Babson Park, Massachusetts at 1:30 p.m. for their first matchup of the year.
 
Just the sixth head coach in the program's history, Romano hopes to follow in the steps of former head coach and Fisher's current Associate Athletics Director and Senior Women's Administrator, Jill McCabe.  Under McCabe's governance, the Cardinals notched 116 victories over nearly two decades and made six appearances in the Empire 8 Championship.
 
Romano has reshaped the look of the field and will look to her offense to set the tempo and take control of games early.  The Cardinals will rely on Carli Kovarik to lead the offensive charge.  Kovarik, a sophomore forward, is the Cardinals' player to watch after bringing home the Empire 8 Conference's Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-Conference honors after a monstrous freshman campaign.  Kovarik led last year's Cardinals squad in goals (10), points (21), shots (58), shots on goal (31), and game-winning goals (4).

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Cardinals Claim 1-0 Win Over Babson in Season-Opener; Romano Nets First-Career Win

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team started the 2019 season victorious after defeating the Babson College Beavers 1-0 on Friday afternoon at Hartwell-Rogers Field. With the win, the Cardinals, who earned their first season-opening victory since 2015, moved to 1-0-0 on the season while the Beavers fell to 0-1-0.  The win also marked the first-carer coaching victory for Molly Romano.
 
Both squads used their freshness wisely as neither team gained a scoring advantage in the first half. The two teams traded shots throughout the first 45 minutes, as the Cardinals outshot the Beavers by four.
 
Junior goalkeeper, Lila Platt made two saves in the first half to keep Babson scoreless.

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Kovarik Nets Game-Winner as Women's Soccer Bests Morrisville

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team put up a season-high 27 shots on Wednesday as the Cardinals took care of Morrisville State, 1-0, in a non-conference battle at Drake Field.  With the win, Fisher improved to 2-3 on the year while the Mustangs fell to 1-3 overall.

The Cardinals controlled the pace of play from the get-go as head coach Molly Romano's squad peppered the Mustangs' goalminder with nine shots over the first 26 minutes of play.  With the game still scoreless in the 34th minute, sophomore Carli Kovarik, who was named the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year last season, netted what turned out to be the game's lone goal after ripping a shot past the Morrisville keeper to make it 1-0.

Fisher continued to possess the ball on the offensive end of the field throughout the second half with 13 shots, however, Morrisville came away with five saves in the frame to keep the margin at one.

Kovarik was a nightmare for the Mustangs' backline all game as the forward finished with a game-high nine shots including four on goal.  Shiane Irwin and Logan Chase each finished with three shots while Megan Letta, Becky Mack, Jessica Aldred and Abigail Dwyer each had two shots in the win.

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Women's Soccer Guts Out Draw In First Conference Action Of Season At Hartwick

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team battled out a 110-minute 0-0 draw in its first Empire 8 Conference matchup of the season with the Hartwick Hawks at Elmore Field. The draw marked both teams' first of the season, as the Cardinals moved to 2-5-1 overall and 0-0-1 in conference play and the Hawks now stand at 4-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in the Empire 8.
 
Starting goalkeeper, junior Kayla Shutts, saw a mass of Hartwick offensive pressure in the first 45 minutes, as the Hawks outshot the Cardinals, 10-2. Shutts stood her ground and tallied four saves in the first half.
 
The intermission resurged the Cardinals' offense as it landed six shots in the direction of the net, three of which were on goal. Fisher's best opportunity to score in the second half came when the Hawks goalie came out of position to defend a Becky Mack breakaway and shot that was saved by a Hartwick defender.

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Kovarik, Shutts Propel Fisher to First Conference Win

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team secured its first Empire 8 Conference victory of the season on Saturday night when the Cardinals defeated Alfred University in the nightcap at Growney Stadium, 2-1. Fisher improved to 3-6-1 on the season and 1-0-1 in the conference while the Saxons dropped to 4-3-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the Empire 8.

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Women's Soccer Clips Soaring Eagles in E8 Play

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team surpassed its season high for shots as it clipped the Elmira College Soaring Eagles at Campus Field, 2-0. With the win, the Cardinals moved to 4-6-1 overall and 2-0-1 in the Empire 8 while the Soaring Eagles dropped to 2-8 and 0-3 in the conference.
 
The Cardinals lit the scoreboard early as Becky Mack bent a shot from the edge of the box past the Elmira keeper to give Fisher a one score advantage in the ninth minute. The goal marked the transfer junior's first in a Cardinals' uniform after five other attempted strikes on the season.
 
Fisher sealed the deal when Megan Letta fired a ball through the middle of the Elmira defense and found a striking Abigail Dwyer who unleashed and rung the back of the net. The 68th minute goal insured that the Cardinals would find themselves in the win column for the second consecutive game and the fourth time this season.

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Kovarik Nets Two as Cardinals Cruise Past Fredonia

Carli Kovarik buried a pair of goals as the St. John Fisher College women's soccer team downed Fredonia, 2-0, in its last non-conference match of the season at Growney Stadium. With the victory, the Cardinals moved to 5-6-2 while the Blue Devils dropped to 4-8-2.
 
The teams battled out an even-scored first 45 minutes, but the Cardinals were awarded three quick corner kicks, which translated into offensive activity. Fisher tallied four shots in the first half, two more than Fredonia.
 
The Cardinals found their firepower in the 62nd minute when Kovarik stole a ball from a Fredonia defender and broke away from the rest of the pack 50 yards out to uncork a shot to the upper right-hand corner of the Blue Devils' net.
 
Fifteen minutes later, Kovarik made an almost identical play as a ball from Megan Letta was touched by a Fredonia defender and rerouted in Fisher's favor as Kovarik broke free and placed a quick-roller past the reach of the opponent's keeper.

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Cardinals Force Draw on Senior Night

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team forced Utica into their first draw of the season as the two teams split a 2-2 tie at Growney Stadium. With the no-decision, the Cardinals protected their untarnished conference record as they moved to 5-6-3 on the year and 2-0-3 in the Empire 8 while the Pioneers' overall record now rests at 8-4-1 and at 2-2-1 in the conference. 

The Cardinals honored its senior class of Emily Murray, Lauren Collins, Mia Tirabassi, Abigail Barr, Kierra Duvall, and Molly Tice before the match began. 

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Fisher Secures Postseason Berth With Win at Sage

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team only needed one goal to clinch postseason contention on Saturday afternoon as the Cardinals downed The Sage Colleges at ACP Stadium, 1-0. With the win, The Cardinals improved to 6-6-3 overall and 3-0-3 in the Empire 8 while the Gators dropped to 7-9 on the season and 2-4 in the conference.
 
Both teams came out strong as the Cardinals went toe-to-toe with the Gators and matched shots from the get go. The momentum began to shift in Sage's direction as it took six shots in the next 20 minutes, compared to the Cardinals' two. As the teams headed into the locker room, the score remained knotted at zero. In order for the Cardinals to come out on top, they were due for an adjustment.
 
The Gators kept up the pressure in the second half as they shot three times in the first ten minutes of the half. That would not last long, however, as Molly Romano's squad corrected its approach. Freshman phenom Megan Letta scored her fourth goal of the season in the 56th minute after she knocked in her own rebound for the match's deciding goal.

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History Made as Letta's Game-Winner Ensures Fisher E8 Regular Season Title

For the first time in its history, the St. John Fisher College women's soccer team earned the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship and clinched the top overall seed in the upcoming conference championship as the Cardinals defeated Nazareth College, 2-1, in dramatic fashion at Golden Flyer Stadium.  With the win, Fisher, which entered the game needing to defeat the Golden Flyers to earn the top spot, improved to 7-6-3 overall and 4-0-3 in the conference standings while Nazareth dipped to 9-5-2, 4-1-2, respectively.

First-year head coach Molly Romano became the first coach in program history to earn the top overall seed in the Empire 8 Championship as the Cardinals will now host a semifinal game inside the friendly confines of Growney Stadium on Wednesday.  The team will square off with Utica College, which earned the fourth and final seed after defeating Elmira College, 4-1, coupled with Houghton having defeated Alfred earlier in the day.

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Top-Seeded Women's Soccer Set to Host Utica in E8 Semifinal

After making history on Saturday, the top-seeded St. John Fisher College women's soccer team will look to build upon its success this season when it hosts fourth-seeded Utica College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday on the turf inside Growney Stadium in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Championship.  Second-seeded Hartwick will square off with third-seeded Nazareth College at 7 p.m. in Oneonta on the other side of the bracket with the winner of each meeting in the conference title game on Saturday.  The game will be played at the highest remaining seed with the winner earning the Empire 8's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship, which is set to begin next week.

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Women's Soccer Upset by Utica in Empire 8 Semifinal; Cardinals Conclude Historic Season

The St. John Fisher College women's soccer team had their historic season brought to an abrupt end on Wednesday night as the No. 1 Cardinals were upset by No. 4 Utica College at Growney Stadium in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 Tournament, 0-1. First-year head coach Molly Romano guided her Regular Season Empire 8 Conference Champion team to a 7-7-3 finish and a 4-0-3 record in the conference.
 
Utica improves to 11-5-1 on the season and will move on to face No. 2 Hartwick on Saturday, November 9 in the Empire 8 Championship at Elmore Field in Oneonta.

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Women's Soccer Garners Seven All-Conference Selections

The Empire 8 conference released its Women's Soccer All-Conference Teams on Tuesday and seven Cardinals have been honored. St. John Fisher College had five members earn All-Second Team with one receiving Honorable Mention and the final honoree earning Sportswoman of the Year. 
 
The conference's second team featured defenders Molly Tice and Mia Tirabassi as well as junior midfielders Logan Chase and Shiane Irwin. Sophomore forward Carli Kovarik rounded out the second-team honors for the Cardinals.

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