ELMIRA, N.Y. – The No. 2 seed St. John Fisher University men's soccer team drew No. 1 seed Elmira College in the Empire 8 Championship on Saturday, 2-2, but fell in penalty kicks, 4-2.
 
The Cardinals took an early lead on a 22nd minute score by junior Riley Rease, but the Soaring Eagles came back with an equalizing goal by Martin Harguindey in the 34th minute to make it 1-1. 
 
That score held throughout regulation, and for the second time in this Empire 8 tournament the Cardinals went into overtime. Again, Fisher struck first, as senior Joey Avallone found the back of the net in the 100th minute to make it 2-1. However, Elmira soon equalized on a penalty kick goal by Harguindey in the 101st minute.
 
With the game still tied at full time, the automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament came down to a shootout, the Cardinals' second of the tournament. It was not to be, as Elmira's Juan Carlos Cruz Gandia made two stops to senior Jadon Schlierf's one to give Elmira the ticket forward. 
 
Junior Jacob McGinnis and sophomore Reese Powers had the successful scores for Fisher in the shootout. 
 
Barring an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the penalty kick loss ends Fisher's season at 6-4-7. This was Fisher's fifth-ever trip to the Empire 8 Championship final, and their first since the 2020 season. They are now 2-2-1 in Empire 8 finals.

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