ALFRED, NY – The Eastern College Athletic Conference released its 2018 Division III Women's Soccer bracket on Monday evening, placing the Saxons in Pod 4 located at Albright College in Reading, PA. Alfred University women's soccer (11-7, Empire 8 3-5) will take on Westminster College (15-5-1, PAC 6-2) in the First Round. Here is everything you need to know.
 
First Round (Pod 4) Location
Gene L. Shirk Stadium
Albright College
1621 North 13th Street
Reading, PA  19604

Hotel Information
 
Tournament Structure
Pod 4 First Round - Saturday, Nov 10 & Sunday Nov. 11 at Albright College
Game 1 (Sat.): No. 1 Albright College (11-4-2) vs No. 4 Cedar Crest College (13-4) 11:00am
Game 2 (Sat.): No. 2 seed Westminster College (15-5-1) vs No. 3 seed Alfred University (11-7) at 2:00pm

Game 3 (Sun.): Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner 12:00pm
 
Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 17 at TBD
Semifinal #1: Pod 1 Winner vs. Pod 4 Winner - 11:00 a.m.
Semifinal #2: Pod 2 Winner vs Pod 3 Winner - 2:00 p.m.

Championship - Sunday, Nov. 18 at TBD
Winner Semifinal #1 vs. Winner Semifinal #2 - 12:00 p.m.
 
First Round (Pod 4) Team Information
#1 Albright College
Overall Record (Conference Record): 11-4-2 (MAC 5-2-1)
Conference: Middle Athletic Conference - Commonwealth
Goal Leader: Lauren Haley (13)
Assist Leader: Autumn Bieber (9)
Points Leader: Lauren Haley (30)
Saves Leader: Alexis Tunney (77)
 
#2 Westminster College
Overall Record (Conference Record): 15-5-1 (PAC 6-2-0)
Conference: President's Athletic Conference
Goal Leader: Keely Birsic (12)
Assist Leader: Keely Birsic (7)
Points Leader: Keely Bisic (31)
Saves Leader: Camille Holzschuh (88)
 
#3 Alfred University
Overall Record (Conference Record): 11-7-0 (Empire 8 3-5-0)
Conference: Empire 8
Goal Leader: Amanda Guariglia (6)
Assist Leader: Emily Wright (7)*
Points Leader: Emily Wright (15)
Saves Leader: Makenzie Cashmer (62)
*Currently second all-time at AU for assists in a season (current leaders are Mary Quackenbush '85 and Cynthia Murray '87 with 8)
 
#4 Cedar Crest College
Overall Record (Conference Record): 13-4-0 (CSAC 7-1-0)
Conference: Colonial States Athletic Conference
Goal Leader: Daria Warner (14)
Assist Leader: Adrianna Tennis (8)
Points Leader: Daria Warner (29)
Saves Leader: Morgan Maddock (62)
 
A New Frontier
Alfred University women's soccer has not faced any of the three teams in school history.

Yanni Tied for Most Wins in First Two Seasons as Head Coach
Head Coach Craig Yanni is currently tied with legendary Head Coach Pat Codispoti with 18 wins in his first two seasons as Head Coach at AU. Codispoti completed the feat in 33 games while Yanni did it in 37 games. Codispoti holds the record for most wins in AU history (132) and was recognized with her husband, Bob Codispoti, by Alfred University Athletics with the dedication of the Bob '66 & Pat Codispoti Video Board located in Yunevich Stadium on September 8, 2018.
 
Best Women's Soccer Season Since 1999
It has been 19 years since the AU women's soccer team won 11 games. The 1999 team went 11-4-1 (Empire 8 2-2-0) and did not participate in a postseason. Pat Codispoti was the women's soccer Head Coach at the time.
 
Barring the 2017 season when the Saxons made their first Empire Conference Championships, the Saxons have not participated in a postseason since 1998 when they took part in the NYSWCAA Championship Tournament, losing to SUNY Geneseo 2-1.
 
With 11 wins on the 2018 season, the 2018 women's soccer team is tied for the third most wins in a single-season in AU history, trailing only the 1988 (14) and 1996 (13) teams – both of which were coached by Pat Codispoti. The 1988 team advanced to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament before falling to powerhouse, Williams Smith College, in the First Round. The 1996 team played in the NYSSCAA Championship Tournament, falling to Geneseo.
 
Alfred University Women's Soccer ECAC History
The AU women's soccer program is entering its third ECAC Division III Women's Soccer tournament, dating back to the program's fourth year of existence in 1984. The 1984 team was coached by Karon McGrath and went 8-4-2 during the regular season before falling to Ithaca College in the First Round of the ECAC tournament.
 
AU was led by senior Deb Loveys '85 and sophomore Cynthia Murray '87 with 12 and 11 goals, respectively. Both marks still stand in the top-five for single-season goals in AU women's soccer history. Senior Mary Quackenbush '85 also set a record during the 1984 season, accumulating eight assists on the season.
 
The Saxons earned their second ECAC berth in 1989, finding that appearance more fruitful for the program. Following an 8-6-2 regular season, the Saxons dominated their way through the ECAC tournament shutting out Geneseo (2-0), Binghamton (1-0) and Oneonta State (2-0) en route the program's sole ECAC Championship title.
 
The 1989 team featured AU women's soccer legends such as:
 
Andrea Hynes '90 - AU Hall of Famer, AU career goals leader (32), second in career points (72), second in goals in single-season (12)
Carolyn Clark '90 - AU Hall of Famer, tied fourth for most assists in a season (6)
Val DiFlorio '91 - AU Hall of Famer, record holder for single-season saves (190), second in career shutouts (20), fourth in single-season shutouts (6) and third in career saves (436)
Julie Francis '92 - AU Hall of Famer, record holder for career shutouts (22), second in career saves (542), third in single-season saves (178) and second in single-season shutouts (7)