Nazareth College Athletics

CHECK OUT PICTURE GALLERY

ROCHESTER, NY – (Nazathletics.com) – Senior Shannon Sgobmick scored twice and added an assist as second seeded Nazareth defeated 4^th seeded Geneseo 3-1 in Saturday's Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Game. With the win, Nazareth earns an automatic berth into the 64-team NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament. The selection who will be Monday, November 9^th at 11:30 a.m. on NCAA.com. More NCAA Tournament info.

The five points in a game was a career-high for Sgombick. She was named the Most Valuable Player. The rest of the All-Tournament Team will be announced by the conference office next week.


In addition, senior Camryn Schiavitti was named 2026 Empire 8 Women's Soccer Torchbearer Award winner. This honor goes to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in the finals (must be a junior or senior). Schiavitti is a senior Physical Therapy major with a 3.98 grade-point average.
 
The Golden Flyers move to 13-3-3 overall, while the Knights drop to 10-5-3.
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The biggest play early in the game came in the 18^th minute when the Knights had a point-blank one-time shot from 8-yards out on a cross back that Katriana Walls managed to get a hand on to keep out of the net
• A little over a minute later, the Golden Flyers opened up of the scoring. Sgombick played a long through ball that Biehler outpaced the defender to, took a touch past the keeper and slotted into the net to make it 1-0
• In the 28^th minute, Sgombick was on the other end of the goal. She took a high-kicked ball down from 30-yards out, took a few dribbles, and then rifled a shot into the lower left corner for a 2-0 lead
• Nazareth kept that lead into the break and finished with a 10-3 edge in shots
• Six minutes into the second half the Knights had another dangerous attempt that Walls slowed down and then Lillian Fejko cleared off the line to keep the blank sheet
• In the 58^th minute the Sgombick and Biehler combo was at it again. Biehler sprinted to a ball that the Geneseo defender tried to clear. She took it towards the end line and crossed it back to Sgombick for a beautiful third goal  
• Geneseo was able to score on a free kick shot from 22-yards out in the 85^th minute

GAME NOTES:

• With the win, Nazareth captured its 14^th Empire 8 Title under head coach Gail Mann who is coaching in her final season
• Nazareth last won the Empire 8 title in 2023, a 3-0 victory over St. John Fisher
• Walls finished the game with five saves
• Sgombick now has a season-high for points with 18 on 7 goals and 4 assistsn
• With Biehler's three points in the game, she now has 14 goals and 9 assists on the year for 37 points

UP NEXT:
Nazareth will await its first round NCAA Tournament opponent with the selection show taking place on Monday, November 9 at 11:30 pm on NCAA.com