Gators Visiting Houghton for First Round of E8 Championship Tournament

Delaney Burton (Photo by Michael Burton Photography)

Posted: Oct 26, 2023

ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College begins its fourth Empire 8 Conference Tournament journey on Saturday evening.

2023 Empire 8 Conference Women's Soccer Championship Tournament First Round: Gators (Fifth Seed) at Houghton (Fourth Seed)

Saturday, October 28, 2023 | 6:00 PM | Burke Field, Houghton University | Live Stats | Video

Ticket Prices: $6.00 - Adults | $4.00 - Students and seniors with ID | Free - Children under 12

#5 RSC Gators (8-4-4/3-2-3 E8): Roster | Stats

#4 Houghton Highlanders (7-8-1/4-4-0 E8): Roster | Stats

RSC E8 Tournament History: The Gators are making their fourth appearance in the E8 Championship Tournament…RSC, the 2020-21 Tournament Champions, reached the Semifinals for the third time in 2022.

Gator Bites: More than 20 players and four all-league selections: senior forward Kennedy Jones (Albany, NY/Albany), 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 enter the postseason with the top offense (1.875 goals per-game) and defense (0.625 goals-against average) in the E8...RSC, the lone conference school with more than goal as its scoring margin at 1.25, tallied a league-best nine shutouts in the regular season...A Gator has earned weekly E8 awards five 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 goes into the weekend leading the conference in scoring with 16 points on six 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 has registered Conference-bests in goals-against average (0.625) 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...Freshman goalkeeper Olivia Horan (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) (6-3-4) 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) is tied for second on the circuit with six goals and tied for fourth with 13 points...Junior forward Julia Hanlon (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) ranks tied for third with five goals, while Viscusi and Key are tied for third with two game-winning goals apiece.