EDISON, NJ (October 29, 2023) – The 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Soccer Championship kicked off on Sunday, October 29, with opening round games. No. 6 Rider University used a first-half goal to knock-off No. 3 Canisius University 1-0, while No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s University earned its program’s first ever MAAC postseason win by way a penalty kick shootout.
No. 6 Rider - 1 | No. 3 Canisius - 0
Demske Sports Complex | BUFFALO, NY
Box Score
Rider’s (7-8-2) graduate student, Chloe Fisher scored the game's lone goal in the 20
th minute of the match against Canisius (9-3-5) to propel the Broncs into the semifinal round. The tally came off an assist from Courtney Carter and a cross from Ava Ferrie who found Fisher inside the box. Fisher used a header to the far post, to score the game-winning goal.
Rider Notes and Notables
- Goalkeeper Elle Sciancalepore played the full 90 minutes in goal and tallied four saves in the clean sheet win.
- It was her 5th shutout of the year and 15th of her career which is 2nd all-time in Broncs history.
- Fisher’s goal marked her fourth goal of the season.
- Hannah Freeman led Rider’s offense with two shots, one of them on goal.
- Carter and Ferrie tallied an assist each, while Ferrie had a shot on goal on the win.
- Rider avenged last season’s opening round defeat against Canisius, where they lost in PKs.
- The Broncs returns to the semifinal round for the first time in two years, last making the league’s final four in 2021.
Canisius Notes and Notables
- The Golden Griffins offense outshot the Broncs 22-6, and 4-2 in shots on goal.
- Eight different Griffs logged a shot in the contest.
- Elle Oliphant led the Canisius offensive efforts, taking eight shots with one on goal.
- Lizzie Harkness followed with three shots, while five other Griffs recorded two shots each.
- In goal, Canisius goalie Jordan Spencer faced six shots and tallied one save on the afternoon.
No. 4 Mount St. Mary’s - 0 | No. 5 Niagara - 0 (Mount St. Mary’s 3-1 PK)
Waldron Family Stadium| EMMITSBURG, MD
Box Score
Mount St. Mary’s (7-8-2) was able to outlast Niagara University (5-10-2) by edging them 3-1 on penalty kicks. Neither side was able to find the back of the net in regulation or the overtime periods, playing to a scoreless draw and forcing the match to go to penalty kicks. In the shootout, Mount goalie Arden Lembryk had several big saves that helped the Mountaineers come out on top. Nathalie Mejia, Madison Bee, and Luisangely Navas all scored for the Mount, while Niagara’s lone tally came from Emma Bough.
Mount St. Mary Notes and Notables
- The game marked the first time Mount St. Mary’s played in the MAAC postseason and the win was the first postseason victory in program history.
- Alexa Dragisics had four shots on the day, two on goal.
- Klil Keshwar played the full 110 minutes in goal and made four saves before Lembryk took over to protect the net for penalty kicks, only allowing Niagara to score one PK goal.
- The Mount outshot the Purple Eagles 15-12 and held a 7-3 corner kick edge.
Niagara Notes and Notables
- Niagara offense saw 12 shots, with four on goal.
- Bough led the Purple Eagles offense by taking five shots with three shots on target.
- Amanda Cripps followed with three shots.
- In goal, Agnes Stenlund played the full 110 minutes and tallied six saves on the day for the clean sheet.
The 2023 MAAC Women's Soccer Championship will resume with the semifinals on Thursday, November 2, and conclude with the championship match on Sunday, November 5. Rider advances to meet No. 1 Quinnipiac in Hamden, CT at 2pm on Thursday and Mount St. Mary’s heads to Fairfield, CT to battle with No. 2 Fairfield in the semifinal round on Thursday with first kick at 7pm.
For all information regarding the 2023 MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship, please visit
maacsports.com/wsoc.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
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