No. 3 Women's Soccer Hosts No. 6 Alfred In First Round Of E8 Championship

Fisher Notes To Know

• The Cardinals enter the postseason after producing one of the best regular seasons in program history. They finished 10-5-2 overall and 8-2-1 in Empire 8 play, earning the No. 3 seed for the Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Championship. 
• Molly Romano, in her sixth season as St. John Fisher’s head coach, has guided the Cardinals to two 10-win seasons in the last four years (2021 and 2024). 
• The Cardinals’ 10 wins are tied for the most in program history since 2005. 
• The Cardinals won a program-record eight Empire 8 regular-season games this season. 
• The Cardinals went undefeated (7-0) on the road this season for the first time in program history. 
• The Cardinals have reached the Empire 8 Championship game twice under Romano (2021 and 2023). 
• The Cardinals’ six-game winning streak in the middle of this season marked the program’s longest string of victories in a season since at least 2005. 
• The Cardinals finished the regular season second in the Empire 8 in total points (121) and goals (43). They outscored their opponents by 23 (43-20). 
• The Cardinals led the Empire 8 with 35 assists in the regular season. 
• Senior forward Riley Grimm ranks second in the Empire 8 in points (22) and goals (9). 
• Junior forward Madelyn Wania and senior midfielder Emma Spelman also recorded 20 or more points in the regular season. 
• Wania, a transfer from the College of St. Rose, is tied for third in the conference with 21 points. She leads the league in assists (9). 
• Wania scored a career-high six goals in the regular season. 
• Spelman is tied for fourth in the conference in points (20) and second in assists (8). She scored a career-high six goals in the regular season. 
• The Cardinals beat Alfred 1-0 in the Empire 8 Women’s Soccer Championship in 2021 and 2023.

Last Meeting: St. John Fisher 2, Alfred 0

• Seniors Kate Rachwal and Riley Grimm scored goals for the Cardinals in a 2-0 win over Alfred on Oct. 2. Senior Emma Spelman and junior Madelyn Wania had assists. 
• Junior goalkeeper Avery Byrnes made one save in her first shutout of the season.
• The Cardinals moved to 16-3-4 overall and 9-2-1 at home against the Saxons since 2005.

Alfred Notables

• Alfred allowed the second-fewest goals (8) in the Empire 8 during the regular season. 
• The Cardinals were the only team that scored multiple goals against the Saxons in the regular season. 
• Alfred goalkeeper Kiani Barnard-Partt leads the Empire 8 with seven shutouts. She made 70 saves, the fourth-most in the conference. 
• Amber Bates enters the postseason tied for fourth in the Empire 8 with six assists. 
• Five Saxons have scored three or more goals this season, including Abby Scanlan (4), Nyah Solly (4), Kayla Silverstein (4), Julia Flaitz (3) and Lina Young (3).

Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Schedule 

2024 Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Schedule
Saturday, November 2 – First Round 
No. 8 Elmira at No. 1 SUNY Brockport – 1 p.m.

No. 7 Houghton at No. 2 SUNY Geneseo – 12 p.m.

No. 6 Alfred at No. 3 St. John Fisher – 1 p.m. 

No. 5 Russell Sage at No. 4 Nazareth – 11 a.m.

Wednesday, November 6 – Semifinals (at Higher Seed)
Winner of SUNY Brockport/Elmira vs. Winner of Nazareth/Russell Sage – TBA
Winner of SUNY Geneseo/Houghton vs. Winner of St. John Fisher/Alfred – TBA
Saturday, November 9 - Championship Final
Winner of Semifinal Game 1 vs. Winner of Semifinal Game 2 at Highest Remaining Seed – TBA

About the Empire 8 Conference

The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and YouTube.