AEC Finals '24

Women's Soccer

AEC CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW | Top-Ranked Pacers Host Saints in Atlantic East Championship Rematch

Marywood is looking for its first Atlantic East title since 2022

Scranton, Pa. — For the sixth consecutive season, Marywood University will host the Atlantic East Conference Women's Soccer Championship on Saturday. The top-seeded Pacers (14-3-2, 5-0-1) will tangle with No. 2 Marymount University (8-8-4, 4-0-2) in a rematch of last season's final. 

Marywood hosts the Saints at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Pacers Turf Field. There is free admission for all spectators. 

The Basics
Marymount at Marywood // Saturday, Nov. 9 // 1 p.m. EST // Pacers Turf Field // Scranton, Pa. 
Watch AEC Network // Live Stats // Marywood Roster // Marymount Roster // Marywood Schedule

Briefly on the Pacers
  • COMIN' IN HOT: Marywood is coming off a 4-0 semifinal win over Immaculata on Wednesday, giving them 14 wins for the regular season. It is the second-most wins all-time, matching the 2002 and 2009 seasons. A victory over the Saints would match the 2010 campaign for most victories. 
  • CLEAN SHEETZ: MADE TO ORDER: Marywood tied a school record with its 15th shutout of the season in the win over the Mighty Macs. Jenna Orr and Genevieve Morrison each have 15 combined shutouts. 
  • ROLL PACERS: Marywood smashed the school record for defensive scoreless minutes by not allowing a goal for 851 minutes, 39 seconds. The Pacers have tanked the previous record of 610:39 (2021). 
  • GET YOUR ERASERS OUT: Marywood is on pace to rewrite a pair of defensive season records. Marywood has allowed just four goals this season — 12 fewer than the standing Fewest Goals Allowed records established during the 2009 and 2010 season. The Pacers defense is set to erase the Goals Against Average mark. Marywood allowed just 0.21 goals per game, well below the 2010 record of 0.69 goals against. 
  • NPI RANKINGS: Marywood moved up four spots to #132 in the latest NPI Rankings. The Pacers are 0-2 in their only two games versus teams — Stockton, #97; Eastern #129 — ranked above them. Marywood is 14-1-2 against teams ranked below them. Its top win was over Lancaster Bible (#238).
Scouting the Saints
  • Marymount checks in at 4-0-2 in the Atlantic East and an even 8-8-4 overall heading into the final. The Saints (#212) are 0-7-2 versus teams ranked above them and 8-1-2 versus teams ranked below them on the NPI standings. Its two draws against better-ranked opponents came versus Marywood (#132) and Hood (#181). Its best win came over Baldwin Wallace (#213).
  • The last time the teams met was on October 19, when Marywood and Marymount played to a 0-0 draw in Scranton. Marywood holds a 6-3-1 (.650) all-time record versus the Saints. 
  • Marymount defeated Neumann 2-1 in the Atlantic East semifinal. Nicole Alvarado took a lead in the 42nd minute. Just 38 seconds after the Knights scored an equalizer, Marissa Tonic added a go-ahead goal from Leila Lajdel. 
  • Saturday's match will be the fourth time the Pacers and Saints have met in the Atlantic East Tournament. Marywood holds a 2-1-0 record against the Saints in the postseason. Marymount defeated the Pacers 1-0 in double overtime last season.
  • The Saints are 2-0-1 versus Marywood with three shutouts in the past three outings. Marywood's last goal against Saints' defense was a Josephine Sorce goal with 17 seconds remaining on Nov. 2, 2022. 
  • Two Saints are in double figures for points: Nicole Alvarado and Breanna Harkans. Both players have nine goals and three assists for 21 points. Together, they account for two-third of the Saints' goal production this season. 
  • Last season's Tournament MVP Minnie Morris has appeared in 14 games with 10 starts. Her last goal came in the 104th minute of the 2023 championship tilt. 
  • The Saints rank second in the Atlantic East in goals-against average (1.25) and shutout percentage (.500). They are third in fouls per game (6.2) and save percentage (.769). Marymount ranks last in total assist with just 14. 
More on the Atlantic East Tournament
  • This is the sixth consecutive year Marywood has hosted the Atlantic East Championship game. The Pacers have been the No. 1 seed in each of the past five seasons. 
  • Marywood won the Atlantic East championship in 2018 and 2022. 
  • The Pacers vie for the fifth conference title in school history. Marywood won the Colonial States Athletic Conference in 2008 and 2016. 
  • Marymount has won the conference championship just once in program history (2023).
  • Marywood is 2-2-1 in Atlantic East championship games. The Pacers are 9-2-1 in Atlantic East playoff contests. 
  • Coach Rich Owens is looking for his second career coaching championship. He took West Virginia Wesleyan to a Mountain East Conference (Division II) in 2018. 
Marywood's record when…
At home: 8-0-2
On the road: 7-3
In overtime: 0-0
Outshooting its opponents: 14-2-2
Out-cornering its opponents: 13-2-1
Against higher NPI opponents: 0-2
Against lower NPI opponents: 14-1-2
Scoring the first goal: 14-0-1
When opponent scores first goal: 0-3
On Saturday: 4-2-1

Numbers to Know
125: Josephine Sorce became the fifth person to join the Marywood 100 Point Club earlier this season. She ranks second all-time with 125 career points. Sorce is first with 49 assists and fifth with 38 goals.
14: Sorce is tied for fourth in single-season assists with 14. Her 17 helpers last season ranked first in NCAA Division III and second all-time at Marywood.
1st: Sorce leads All Active Division III players in total assists. She is fourth in Assists Per Game. 
5: Marywood has top-10 national rankings in five stat categories: goals-against average (2nd, .211); save percentage (6th, .917); shots per game (10th, 23.05); shots on goal per game (6th, 12.16); shutout percentage (6th, 0.789).
117: Riley Mulherin became the sixth player to join the Marywood 100 Point Club earlier this season. She ranks fourth all-time with 117 career points. Mulherin is second all-time in career goals.
.672: Mulherin leads the Atlantic East and ranked 29th in Division III in shot accuracy. She has found the target on 67.2 percent of her shots. 
2nd: Freshman goalkeeper Jenna Orr is the runner-up in the NCAA Division III statistical championship race in both goals-against average (.105) and save percentage (.955). Orr has allowed just one goal this season. She trails No. 4 Loras' Kyndal Kells in both categories.
12: Twelve different Pacers have goals and assists this season. Together, 16 Pacers have registered a point. 
3: Freshman goalkeeper Genevieve Morrison has allowed just three goals this season. She has not allowed a goal in 13 consecutive games. 
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Players Mentioned

Riley Mulherin

#30 Riley Mulherin

F
5' 7"
Senior
Josephine Sorce

#11 Josephine Sorce

M
5' 4"
Graduate Student
Genevieve Morrison

#1 Genevieve Morrison

GK
5' 7"
Freshman
Jenna Orr

#99 Jenna Orr

GK
5' 5"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Riley Mulherin

#30 Riley Mulherin

5' 7"
Senior
F
Josephine Sorce

#11 Josephine Sorce

5' 4"
Graduate Student
M
Genevieve Morrison

#1 Genevieve Morrison

5' 7"
Freshman
GK
Jenna Orr

#99 Jenna Orr

5' 5"
Freshman
GK