ROCHESTER, NY – Sophomore Grace Palczewski scored her first-career goal which proved to be the game-winner on Saturday, as second-seeded Nazareth defeated fourth-seeded Utica 1-0 in the 2022 Empire 8 Championship game at Golden Flyer Stadium. For the second-straight year the Golden Flyers earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championships after winning the conference tournament. Nazareth will find out its first round opponent on Monday at 2 p.m. for the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer selection show.
 
Junior defender Grace Lanzetta was named the Most Valuable Player for the conference tournament after helping the defense record back-to-back shutouts. The full Empire 8 All-Tournament team will be announced next week by the conference office.
 
 
The win for Nazareth (8-4-7) was head coach Gail Mann's 350^th career victory. Mann, in her 30^th season on the sidelines for Nazareth, has a .670 win percentage, with 350 wins, 155 losses and 69 ties. The 2022 championship marks coach Mann's remarkable 12^th conference title.
 
Nazareth controlled the flow of play for the first 25 minutes before Utica was able to turn up its offensive pressure. The lone goal of the game came in the 34^th minute on a free kick earned by a great offensive run from Alexandra Skoda down the left side, as she beat two defenders with speed before being tripped right outside the box. Geena Morotti then delivered a lofted pass that dropped just outside the six-yard box, allowing Palczewski to swoop in for a blast into the top left corner. The first-career goal added to the Golden Flyers theme of the tournament of having all first-time goal scorers in both the semifinal and final matches. Sophomores Caroline Gee and Margaret Partlow scored their first-career goals in Nazareth's 2-0 semifinal win over Sage on Thursday.
 
Nazareth held an 8-5 edge in shots in the opening half.
 
Both teams managed six shots in the second half, none more dangerous than McKayla Hughes blast of the crossbar in the 80^th minute.
 
Utica had some offensive pressure down the stretch, but Nazareth's defense and goalie Annika Monfort were able to register their third-straight blank slate. Monfort made four saves in net and now has eight shutouts on the year.
 
Nazareth finished with a 14-11 advantage in shots, while the Pioneers held a 3-2 margin in corner kicks.