No. 2-Seeded Women's Soccer Faces Top-Seeded Brockport Saturday With Trip To NCAA Tournament On The Line

No. 2 St. John Fisher (12-4-2 overall, 9-1-1 Empire 8 reg. season)

Head Coach: Molly Romano (7th season at St. John Fisher)

Career Record: 58-33-20 

Statistical Leaders: Goals (Emily Woolingham, 11), Assists (Maddie Wania, 8), Points (Woolingham, 29), Saves (Avery Byrnes, 30), Solo Shutouts (Brynes, 5)

• Roster
• Coaching Staff
• Schedule
• Season Stats

No. 1 Brockport (14-1-4 overall, 10-0-1 Empire 8 reg. season)

Head Coach: Michael Idland

Career Record: 178-114-27

Statistical Leaders: Goals (Amelia Breton, 9), Assists (Caitlin Nelson, 5), Points (Breton, 21), Saves (Madeline McCrosson, 24)

• Roster
• Coaching Staff
• Schedule
• Season Stats

How They Got Here

St. John Fisher: The No. 2-seeded St. John Fisher women's soccer team blanked No. 3-seeded Nazareth 2-0 on Wednesday night at Growney Stadium to punch its ticket to the Empire 8 Conference championship game for the third time in program history. 

Winners of six straight games, the Cardinals improved to 12-4-2 overall and snapped their four-game postseason losing streak to their East Avenue rival with the victory. Nazareth, which finished the season 9-7-3, beat Fisher in the Empire 8 title game in 2021 and 2023 and in the semifinals in 2005 and 2009. 

The victory marked the Cardinals' fifth over the Golden Flyers all-time and second in a row. Fisher hadn't beaten Nazareth in consecutive games since a two-game run back in 1992-93. 

The Cardinals scored their first goal of the game in the 33rd minute, as senior defender Maddy Jackson crossed a pass to senior forward Madelyn Wania, who tapped a shot over Nazareth keeper Delaney Malone for her eighth tally of the season. 

Fisher, which controlled possession for the majority of the game, clung to that one-goal lead until sealing the victory in the 86th minute on sophomore forward Emily Woolingham's 11th goal of the season. Senior forward Brooklyn Drago tallied her fifth assist of the year on the play with a centering pass. 

St. John Fisher improved to 5-0 in games started by freshman goalkeeper Isabella Ayers, who made five saves. 

In their quarterfinal game last Saturday, senior defender Abby Fagnani scored her first collegiate goal in the 67th minute on an assist from senior forward Madelyn Wania, and the Cardinals held Houghton to just seven shots (one on goal).

Brockport: The top-seeded Golden Eagles, who've lost just one match all season, beat No. 8-seeded Alfred 3-1 in the quarterfinals and got past No. 4-seeded Hartwick 1-0 in the semifinals. 

With A Win… 

St. John Fisher would… win its first Empire 8 championship… clinch a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in program history… reach 13 wins for the first time since 1983… 13 wins would be tied for the third most in a season in program history… push its winning streak to seven games. 

St. John Fisher vs. Brockport History

Series Snapshot: Saturday's game will mark the 25th meeting between St. John Fisher and Brockport since 2002. Brockport owns a 15-5-4 lead in the series. 

Postseason Meetings: Saturday's game will mark the first Empire 8 Tournament matchup between the Cardinals and Golden Eagles. 

Last Meeting: McKenna Slate scored early in the first half to lead Brockport to a 1-0 win over the Cardinals back on Oct. 11 at Growney Stadium. Fisher outshot Brockport by nine, 14-5, in the contest. 

Last Win: Emily Woolingham and and Siobhan McMakin scored goals in the Cardinals' 2-0 road win over Brockport last October. Goalkeeper Avery Byrnes made five saves and earned credit for the shutout. 

Seven Things About Fisher

1 - The Cardinals enter the finals with 12 shutouts, their most in a season since at least 2000. Senior goalkeeper Avery Byrnes leads Fisher with five solo shutouts, while freshman Isabella Ayers has four. 

2 - The Cardinals lead the conference in scoring margin (46-8), goals (46), assists (45) and points (137). They have allowed the fewest goals (8) in the E8. 

3 - Forward Emily Woolingham has a strong case to become just the second player in program history to win the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year award. The sophomore currently paces the conference with 29 points on 11 goals (tied for the lead in E8) and seven assists (second in E8). 

4 - Woolingham needs just two more points to pass Stephanie Long for fourth on the program's single-season points list. Additionally, she’s the first Cardinal to reach double-digit goals in a season since Carli Kovarik did so in 2021. 

5 - With her goal in the second half against Nazareth, Woolingham tied Colleen Mullaley (11, 2001) and Stephanie Long (11, 1993) for fourth on Fisher's single-season goals list. 

6 - Senior forward Maddie Wania stands tied for second in the conference with 24 total points. She has three points on a goal and an assist in two postseason games. 

7 - The Cardinals' nine regular-season Empire 8 victories this year marked their most ever as a member of the conference. 

8 - Romano has led the Cardinals to three 10-plus win seasons, including two in a row, since taking over the program in 2019.

Empire 8 Tournament Central 

The 2025 Empire 8 Conference Women's Soccer Championship Tournament will feature the conference's top eight teams from regular season play. First round/quarterfinal action will feature the No. 1 seed hosting the No. 8 seed, No. 2 seed hosting the No. 7 seed, No. 3 seed hosting the No. 6 seed and No. 4 seed hosting the No. 5 seed on Saturday, Nov. 1.

The winner of the No. 1 and No. 8 game will take on the winner of the No. 4 and No. 5 game in one semifinal and the winner of the No. 2 and No. 7 game will take on the winner of the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds in the second semifinal on Wednesday, Nov. 5, with both games played at the higher seed.

The two semifinal winners will meet on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the highest remaining seed in the E8 Championship. The Empire 8 Champion will earn an automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship Tournament.

2025 Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Tournament Participants
No. 1 – SUNY Brockport (31 points, 10-0-1 E8, 12-1-4 Overall)
No. 2 – St. John Fisher University (28 points, 9-1-1 E8, 10-4-2 Overall)
No. 3 – Nazareth University (20 points, 6-3-2 E8, 8-6-3 Overall)
No. 4 – Hartwick College (19 points, 5-2- E8, 8-3-6 Overall)
No. 5 – Utica University (19 points, 5-2-4 E8, 8-5-5 Overall)
No. 6 – SUNY Geneseo (19 points, 5-2-4 E8, 5-5-7 Overall)
No. 7 – Houghton University (17 points, 5-4-2 E8, 11-4-3 Overall)
No. 8 – Alfred University (11 points, 3-6-2 E8, 7-9-2 Overall)


2025 Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Schedule

Saturday, November 1 – Quarterfinals 
No. 1 SUNY Brockport defeated No. 8 Alfred, 3-1 – BOX SCORE
No. 2 St. John Fisher defeated No. 7 Houghton, 1-0 – BOX SCORE 
No. 3 Nazareth defeated  No. 6 SUNY Geneseo, 3-0 – BOX SCORE 
No. 4 Hartwick defeated No. 5 Utica, 3-1 – BOX SCORE
 
Wednesday, November 5 – Semifinals (at Higher Seed)
No. 1 SUNY Brockport defeated No. 4 Hartwick, 1-0 – BOX SCORE 
No. 2 St. John Fisher defeated No. 3 Nazareth, 2-0 – BOX SCORE 

Saturday, November 8 - Championship Final
No. 2 St. John Fisher at No. 1 SUNY Brockport – 1 p.m. – VIDEO/LIVE STATS

Site: Higher Seeds for all games

Admission
$10.00 - Adults
$2.00 - Students and seniors with ID
Free - Children under 12

For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on X and Instagram (@Empire8).

The 2025 Season In Photos….