11/02/2025
COLLEGE SPORTS WRAP
By John Addyman
For Nov 2 25
A very busy sports week with many seasons ending, playoffs in full swing, plus basketball and wrestling events starting up. We’ll introduce you to some new athletes this week, and note the accomplishments of others we’ve watched through the fall.
SOCCER
Alfred State women’s soccer got throttled by Penn State/Behrend on Tuesday, 0-6, but came back with a vengeance on Saturday to win the opener of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference playoffs over sixth-seeded La Roche University, 3-0 – with freshman Isabella Hoffman (Gananda) coming close to a hat trick with two goals and four more shots on goal.
The Pios played hard but Penn State/Behrend was too much on Tuesday. Isabella got off one shot in that contest.
But what a difference Saturday was, as Alfred State shelled the Redhawks, 18 shots on goal to three. Despite all the goal-bound shots, it took the Pios 27 minutes to get the first goal, and the second – from Isabella – didn’t arrive until the 80th minute, on an unassisted score. Three minutes later, Isabella scored her second goal, Karlee Hargather providing the assist. The goals were Isabella’s 11th and 12th of the season. She is sitting seventh in the ASC record book for goals in one season, and eighth in career goals – and she’s just a freshman. Since she has four assists so far, Isabella has 28 points – seventh all-time for a season.
Next up for the Pios is a semifinal match against second-seeded Pitt/Greensburg on Wednesday. Alfred State is 11-6 (6-2).
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The Saxon women from Alfred University soccer finished their regular season schedule with an 11-0 mashing of SUNY Polytechnic on Wednesday. On Saturday, they started – and finished – their drive to an Empire 8 Conference title. The win over Poly punched Alfred’s ticket to the playoffs as the eighth seed which meant a date with top-seeded Brockport State and a hard-fought 1-3 loss.
Sophomore midfielder Anna Henner (Williamson) launched six shots at the Poly goal and earned an assist – her first of the season – on Lina Young’s score in the 28th minute. Sophomore Ava Schubert (Marion) was also in the game but did not offer shot. Anna got some time in the Brockport loss, but did not attempt a shot. The Saxon season end with a 7-11-2 mark (3-7-2 E-8).
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Monroe Community College women’s soccer saw Monroe University break the Tribunes’ five-game win streak on Halloween, 2-3. Freshman midfielder Lillian Boesel (Pal-Mac) got in the game but did not offer a shot. Next stop for 10-4-1 Monroe CC is the NJCAA East District Championship game this coming Friday.
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Genesee Community College women’s soccer is also in the thick of the NJCAA Region III tournament – the Cougars knuckle-sandwiched Herkimer College on Wednesday, 7-0, with Sophomore midfielder Abby Conover (Marion) getting an assist on the last goal, by Emma Brady in the 79th minute. The assist is Abby’s second of the season.
The Cougars are playing today against Jefferson Community College in the next game of the playoffs. Genesee CC is 11-2-2.
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Rochester Institute of Technology women’s soccer set the table for the Liberty League playoffs with a 4-0 victory over Skidmore on Saturday – Senior Day. With a 5-3-1 record in the conference and an overall record of 8-3-6, the Tigers will open the playoffs at home against the sixth seed. Sophomore defender Reilly Batzold (North Rose-Wolcott) got in the Skidmore game but did not take a shot.
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The University at Buffalo women’s soccer played three times during the week, getting the last win of the season last Sunday over Toledo, 3-1, then losing to Western Michigan, 0-2, in the last regular-season game on Wednesday, and seeing the season end on Saturday against sixth-seeded Bowling Green in the opener for the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
Sophomore midfielder Maya Ikewood (Pal-Mac) picked up an assist on Buffalo’s first goal against Toledo, scored by Jasmine Guerber in the 28th minute. Maya played in the other two games, and started against Bowling Green, but did not offer a shot. The Bulls close their season with a 12-5-2 record.
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Geneseo State men’s soccer split two close games during the week, losing to Brockport on Wednesday, 0-1, then dropping eighth-ranked Hartwick on Saturday, 1-0, in the first round of the Empire 8 Conference playoffs.
The Brockport loss ended the regular season but the Knights were still the top seed for the playoffs and, for the first time since 2008, the Knights hold the regular-season conference title. After Brockport scored on goalie Max Crothall early in the game, junior goalkeeper Alec Gilbert (Wayne Central) stepped in and came up with two magnificent saves in the last 10 minutes of the half to keep things close, but Geneseo couldn’t find another score.
After the 1-0 win over Hartwick on Saturday (Alec didn’t play in that game), the Knights are set to meet Utica on Wednesday in the semifinals. Geneseo is 12-5-2 (9-1-1 E-8).
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Greensboro College women’s soccer won two games during the week, and the second one was in the USA South Conference playoffs.
On Wednesday, the Pride shut out Salem College, 4-0. Sophomore midfielder Abby Sanzotta (Red Creek) launched two shots in that contest. Greensboro then entered the playoffs, facing North Carolina Wesleyan University and getting a 2-0 victory and again, Abby got off a shot.
The 11-6-2 Pride now moves on to the USA South semifinals against Southern Virginia University Wednesday night.
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Le Moyne College women were thankful for a better-late-than-never score last Sunday when the Dolphins broke the wave for their first win of the fall, 2-0 over New Haven. The euphoria didn’t last: Le Moyne lost the next game on Thursday to Stonehill College, 0-1. The Dolphin season ends today at St. Francis. Freshman midfielder Ella Lathrop (Gananda) played in both games but did not offer a shot. Le Moyne is 1-13-4 (1-6-3 NEC).
VOLLEYBALL
Finger Lakes Community College volleyball plowed through Genesee Community College, 3-0, to win the NJCAA Region III North District B semifinal on Saturday, earning a meeting with Fulton-Montgomery Community College in the District B final game today as the Lakers work to qualify for the national tournament starting Nov. 13.
On Saturday, freshman middle hitter Ava Van Antwerp (Gananda) played in two of the three sets, making five kills and getting three block assists to provide significant contribution to the win. The Lakers are now 26-3.
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Nazareth University volleyball split its weekend contests, beating Alfred University on Halloween, 3-2, then losing on Saturday to Houghton University, 0-3. Junior setter Anna Malbone (Wayne Central) made one assist and had two digs in the win; posting one dig in the loss. The Golden Flyers took down the nets for the season with a 3-23 record (3-8 Empire-8 Conference).
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The season is over for Niagara County Community College with a 1-3 defeat at the hands of Onondaga CC on Tuesday. Thunderwolf freshman outside hitter Sariah Tindal (Lyons) had a solid performance in the game, pounding six kills, serving three aces, getting an assist on a block and scooping six digs. NCCC closes the court with a 6-15 record.
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Roberts Wesleyan volleyball took it on the chin three times during the week, blanked 0-3 by Bloomsburg University last Sunday, Daemen University on Wednesday and Mercy University on Saturday. Redhawk senior Middle hitter Morgan Verbridge (Lyons) slammed six kills, blocked a shot, had two block assists and a scoring assist for an eight-point game against Bloom. She made two kills, fired one service ace and blocked a shot against Daemen. For the Mercy loss, Morgan hit two kills, blocked a shot, added a block assist and made two service aces.
Freshman setter Sierra George (Newark) had 25 assists, five digs and a block assist against Bloomsburg. In the Daemen loss, she made 20 assists; versus Mercy, she added 22 assists, served one ace and made three digs. Roberts is 2-21 (2-5 ECC).
CROSS-COUNTRY
Local fleet-of-foot athletes were at Plattsburgh State’s Rugar Woods Cross-Country Course on Saturday, competing for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) championships.
Oneonta State’s women finished second in the 6K. Freshman Lilly Jacobs (Williamson) came in 54th (26:11.1) in the 92-runner field.
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The Empire 8 Conference Cross-Country Championships were run on Saturday in Pittsford at St. John. Fisher’s course. The Cardinal men finished sixth overall, with sophomore Landon Wertz (Marion) the second Fisher runner into the chute, in 34th (28:32.0) place in a field of 118 competitors.
Hartwick College’s women finished seventh in their 6K race. Senior Brynita Haas (Red Creek) finished 30th (24:35.0) and sophomore Julia Weinschreider (Red Creek) came in 56th (26:16.9) in a field of 108 runners.
Keuka College’s men and women finished ninth with Alston Hernandez (North Rose Wolcott) coming in at 85th (32.22.5) and sophomore Rylie Pratt (Wayne Central) was 99th (33:53.5).
Houghton University’s women came in second and the men were third. Senior Isaac Gasparri (Williamson) finished 115th (41:47.6).
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The John Carroll University women’s cross-country team finished second at the eight-school North Coast Atlantic Conference 6K Championships on Saturday at Kenyon College in Gambler, OH. Sophomore Meah Prutzman (Gananda) finished 49th (24:56.8) fir the Blue Streaks. Next stop is the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional in Louisville, KY on Nov. 15.
SWIMMING
The Roberts Wesleyan men’s swim team dropped its third straight dual meet on Saturday, falling to Le Moyne College, 89-205. Two freshmen were in the pool for the Redhawks – AJ Merced (Newark) and Hayden Smith (Pal-Mac).
AJ swam the second leg of the fourth-place 200 medley relay (1:49.0), came in fourth in the 50 breaststroke (30.81), and placed fifth in the 1650 free (18:51.48) and the 400 individual medley (4:45.53). Hayden anchored the third-place 200 medley relay (1:38.86) and swam the third leg of the fifth-pace 200 free relay (1:41.83). He was also fourth in the 100 free (52.40) and placed fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:03.48).
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Oswego State’s women swimmers have two wins on the shelf after defeating Clarkson on Saturday, 183.5-109.5. Laker senior Anna Baker Ontario/Webster Schroeder) took the third leg of the second-place 200 medley relay (2:15.81) and scored fourth-place finishes in the 800 free (10:45.09), the 400 free (5:13.81) and the 100 individual medley (1:17.23).
Laker frosh Rita Romano (Lyons) won the 50 backstroke (36.15), was runner-up in the 100 back (1:19.02), and swam the first leg of that second-place 200 medley relay and the third leg of the third-place 200 free relay (2:07.27).
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William Smith College picked up two swim wins over the weekend, beating Alfred University on Friday, 160-131, then triumphing over Herkimer County Community College of Saturday, 202-21.
In the Alfred win, Heron junior Bria Romano (Lyons) swam the second leg of the fourth-place 200 medley relay (2:10.15), took fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:25.14) and finished sixth in the 200 breast (3:14.43).
She took second in the 100 breast (1:32.62) versus Herkimer, and also took the second leg of the second-place 200 medley relay (2:10.66).
For Alfred, sophomore Elizabeth Share (Pal-Mac) did her best to keep the meet close – she took the starting lap of the winning 200 medley relay (1:58.08), won the 100 backstroke by seven seconds (1:00.16) and the 200 breast by five seconds (2:38.05) and finally, the 200 individual medley by eight seconds (2:17.60).
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Brockport State’s swim teams had a big problem with Geneseo State on Halloween – the Golden Eagle men lost, 66-232; the women lost, 103-197. Senior Jace Fredericksen (Newark) took fourth place in the 1000 free (10:55.75) and the 500 free (5:13.18), then swam the second leg of the sixth-place 200 free relay (1:35.20). Senior teammate Chip Murphy (Newark) finished sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.29).
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Hartwick College men’s swimming took a tri-meet on Saturday, defeating Nazareth, 215-47, and King’s College, 208-80. Hawk junior Matt Cole (North Rose-Wolcott) swam the third leg of the third-place 200 medley relay (1:52.93), won the 1000 free (11:03.80), and came in third in the 200 butterfly (2:13.11) and the 200 backstroke (2:21.35).
FOOTBALL
St. John Fisher football spotted Utica University a 17-0 first-half lead and could never reel in the Pioneers after that in a 7-31 loss on Saturday. Senior running back Cam Chance (Clyde-Savannah) carried the ball five times for a total of 12 yards and caught a 31-yard pass for Fisher. The loss leaves the Cardinals at 5-3 (3-2 E-8) with two games left on the schedule.
WRESTLING
Alfred State men’s wrestling opened the season on Saturday at the Tonee Ellis Memorial Tournament in Reading, PA. Freshman Christian Warren (North Rose-Wolcott) made his debut, losing in the first round to Shippensburg’s Nick Delp at 165 pounds, 17-0 on a technical fall at 2:57. Christian next met teammate Brandon DellaPia, losing a 9-2 decision.
The Pios finished sixth out of 15 teams at the Alvernia University complex.
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Brockport State’s male wrestlers were very busy at the Messiah College Invitational Meet on Friday and Saturday, finishing in third place in the team standings.
Sophomore Luke Herendeen (Palmyra), wrestling at 285 pounds, got a first-round bye, and was pinned in the second round by Johns Hopkins University’s Jake Pomykata (4:04). Luke got another bye in the first round of the consolation round, then pinned McDaniel College’s Ezekiel Gayle (9:00). Luke’s day ended when he lost a 3-1 decision to Liberty University’s Braden Ewing.
FIELD HOCKEY
Ithaca College field hockey won one and lost one during the week. The Bombers knocked off Oneonta on Wednesday, 2-0, but lost to 19th-ranked Haverford on Saturday, 0-2. Senior defensive midfielder Anne Leach (Pal-Mac) started both games for the Bombers and did not take a shot. She and her teammates will meet second seed Union College in Schenectady on Friday in the opening round of the Liberty League playoffs. Ithaca is 12-6 (4-3 LL) and the third seed.
BASKETBALL
Monroe Community College women opened the local collegiate basketball season with a 68-60 win over Montgomery College of Maryland on Saturday. Freshman guard Taryn Goodness (Pal-Mac) started her career with four points, six rebounds and an assist for the Tribunes.
