Women's Soccer

Sacred Heart Claims 2025 MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship Title Powered by Northeast Beef

BUFFALO, NY (Nov. 9, 2025) – The 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women’s Soccer Championship concluded Sunday afternoon in Buffalo, NY, as Sacred Heart defeated Canisius 4-3 in a penalty-kick shootout. 

No. 4 Sacred Heart 0 | No. 3 Canisius 0 (Sacred Heart wins on Penalty Kicks 4-3) 
Demske Sports Complex | Buffalo, NY  

Box Score 

No. 4 Sacred Heart (11-8-1) defeated No. 3 Canisius (8-8-2) 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a 0-0 draw, to clinch the 2025 MAAC Women’s Soccer Championship title. 

Action was limited in the first half of the 2025 Championship game as both teams struggled to find their rhythm. Canisius goalkeeper, Chloe Tseros, came up with a big save in the 19th minute, denying a strong attempt from Sacred Heart’s Quinn Pollack. With Canisius holding a 5–2 advantage in shots, Sacred Heart made more saves, 3–1, as the first half ended in a scoreless tie. The second half played out much like the first, featuring six total shots and only one save, as the Golden Griffins and Pioneers remained deadlocked heading into overtime. As snow began to fall, both teams pushed to find the game-winner, but neither could break through, sending the match into a second overtime. With no goals in the second overtime, the match advanced to penalty kicks to decide the 2025 Championship. The first five rounds of penalties ended in a 3–3 deadlock. Canisius’ goals came from Maggie Cregan, Skaylar Cornell, and Lizzy Harkness, matched by Emily Hood, Martyna Krzystopik, and Morgan Bovardi for Sacred Heart. In the sixth round, Sacred Heart’s Theanna Burnett converted her penalty kick, putting the Pioneers ahead 4–3. With a chance to even the score, Kayleigh DiGirolamo’s penalty for Canisius was brilliantly saved by Championship MVP, Kyran Thievon, giving the Pioneers the championship title. 

Sacred Heart Notes and Notables 

  • Mia Iacona led Sacred Heart with five shots while Azaria Fagan was behind her with two shots. 

  • The five shots were a career-high for Iacona.  

  • Sacred Heart had an advantage in corner kicks, 8-5.  

  • Sacred Heart’s win was the 7th championship title that was decided on penalty kicks. 

  • Seven players recorded their most playing time appearing all 110 minutes of today s game.  

  • The championship title for Sacred Heart title was the first in program history, winning it in just the second season since joining the conference. 

Canisius Notes and Notables 

  • Canisius had six shots all coming from a different player and three shots on goal coming from three different players. 

  • Harkness' one shot was one of the three shots on goal for the Golden Griffins. 

  • Cregan recorded one of the six shots. 

  • Eight players recorded their most game time, appearing in all 110 minutes of today’s game. 

  • Sunday's game served as Canisius' third appearance in the title game of the MAAC Women's Soccer Championship. 

  • The shutout was the fifth of the season and their second in their three postseason appearances. 

Sacred Heart earns the MAAC automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The Pioneers will find out their opponent during the Division I NCAA women’s soccer selection show on Monday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET. The selection show can be streamed live on NCAA.com. 

2025 Women's Soccer All-Championship Team 

Madison Alves 

Quinnipiac University 

Addyson Earl 

Quinnipiac University 

Sam Kersey 

Fairfield University 

Katie Wright 

Fairfield University 

Lizzy Harkness 

Canisius University 

Maggie Cregan 

Canisius University 

Mya Jones 

Canisius University  

Morgan Bovardi 

Sacred Heart University 

Riley Pettigrew 

Sacred Heart University  

Shea Kelleher 

Sacred Heart University 

Kyran Thievon (MVP) 

Sacred Heart University 

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference: 
With 13 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 45th year of competition during the 2025-26 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena University. 

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