Women's Soccer | 11/2/2022 3:19:00 PM

PITTSFORD, NY – The St. John Fisher University women's soccer team (8-2-6, 6-0-3 Empire 8) will look to lock down their first Empire 8 Championship, beginning with a matchup on Thursday, November 4 at 4 p.m. against Utica University.  

With a win on Thursday, the Cardinals would automatically host the Championship Final against the winner of the other semi-final game, which will feature Russell Sage College at Nazareth College.

Season Recap: The Cardinals have allowed just four goals in league play this season, with the last conference loss coming last season in the Empire 8 Championship. Jenn Kirker leads the Cardinals in scoring (4 goals) and points (10 points). The sophomore tandem of Emma Spelman and Kate Rachwal have racked up seven points each. Meanwhile, Avery Byrnes has locked down the net, recording a 0.86 goals against average and an .817 save percentage with eight shutouts.

Scouting the Opponents: When the Cardinals took on the Pioneers earlier this season, the game ended in a 2-2 tie. In the first half, Fisher had five corner-kick opportunities to get on the board. Back-to-back corners from Spelman in the second minute of the game lead to a shot by Kirker that sailed wide. After the first half, the score remained deadlocked at 0-0. Scoring began in the 53rd minute by Utica, and in response, Kirker was able to score on a penalty kick. In the 82nd minute, Spelman connected to Rachwal, who scored on a header. Utica would respond quickly to tie it up in the 83rd minute to tie the score at 2-2. While Grace Wolsieffer had an opportunity to score in the final minutes of the game, strong defensive play from Utica prevented the goal, leading to a draw.

Player to Watch: The player of the week to watch for the Empire 8 tournament is Tori Cruz. The junior played in 15 games this season, tallying one goal and three points. Cruz had 12 shots on goal and played 823 minutes. The midfielder plays exceptional defense as well, which will be critical for the Cardinals this tournament.  

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