ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Top-seeded Nazareth defeated visiting Russell Sage College, the five seed, 3-0 in this afternoon's Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament Semifinal.
Sophomore midfielder Tatum Overton netted two of the Golden Flyer tallies, including the eventual game-winner 13:04 in, while junior defender Grace Paiczewski scored the other.
Nazareth (7-4-6) limited the high-powered RSC offense, which began the day leading the E8 with 1.94 goals per-game, to 10 shots and zero corner kicks. By comparison, the Golden Flyers totaled 19 shots, out-shot the Gators (9-5-4) 11-3 in the first half, and earned seven corners.
Freshman goalkeeper Olivia Horan (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) (7-4-4) made five saves, while senior forward Kennedy Jones (Albany, NY/Albany), who tops the Conference in scoring, recorded a team-high four shots.
Nazareth will host the winner of tonight's other semifinal between Saint John Fisher and Alfred in Saturday's title game.
Notes: RSC made its fourth appearance in the E8 Championship Tournament...The Gators, the 2020-21 E8 Tournament Champions, reached the semifinals in each of their appearances...More than 20 players and four all-league selections: Jones, sophomore defender Courtney Bush (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen), senior forward Marissa Key (Monroe, NY/Monroe-Woodbury), and junior defender Amelia Geesler (Glenmont, NY/Bethlehem Central), returned this fall…The Gators entered the Semifinals with the top offense (1.941 goals per-game) and defense (0.71 goals-against average) in the E8...RSC, the lone conference school with more than goal as its scoring margin at 1.23, tallied a league-best nine shutouts in the regular season...A Gator has earned weekly E8 awards six times this season…Jones was selected the E8 Player of the Week for the period ending Monday, September 4…The second-team All-E8 pick registered two goals and an assist to help RSC win its home opener vs. Nichols on September 2…She began the week leading the conference in scoring with 20 points on eight goals and four assists…Bush was chosen the E8 Defensive Player of the Week on two occasions, September 10 and September 25, this fall…She spearheads an RSC defense that registered Conference-bests in goals-against average (0.71) and clean sheets (nine) this fall…Sophomore defender Olivia Badalucco (Rotterdam Junction, NY/Schalmont) took home E8 Player of the Week honors on September 18…She scored twice in an 8-0 shutout of visiting SUNY Poly on September 13…The output was the most for the Gators in a single-game since 2017...Horan was named the E8 Defensive Player of the Week on October 2…The rookie closed the regular season atop the conference with an 0.640 goals-against average and seven shutouts…Sophomore forward Gianna Viscusi (Duanesburg, NY/Schalmont) was named the E8 Player of the Week on Monday...The sophomore, who ranks third in the E8 with 16 points and seven goals, scored a pair of game-winning goals last week.
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