Elmira, NY -- The fall sports season continues to hum along, as every fall sports team except for women's golf was in action this past week. Elmira men's soccer opened up Empire 8 Conference play, while field hockey and women's tennis continued into the meat of their respective league slates. Women's volleyball split its weekend double-dip in New Rochelle, while women's soccer endured a difficult trip to the North Country. The Elmira cross country teams were back in action this past weekend, while men's golf finished the fall portion of the Empire 8 Championships.
 
Headlines for the Week Ahead
 
Conference Play Heats Up
Five Elmira teams face Empire 8 opponents this week. It begins on Tuesday when women's tennis makes the short trip up Route 13 to take-on Ithaca College at 4:00 p.m. Women's soccer makes its 2015 Empire 8 debut on Wednesday when the Soaring Eagles welcome St. John Fisher College to Campus Field. The weekend features four teams in Empire 8 action as men's and women's soccer play a double header at Campus Field. Women's volleyball plays its first conference crossover of the season at Hartwick, while field hockey also hits the road for the first time in conference play to take on the Hawks.
 
Baseball Launches Shoe Drive
In case you missed it, the Elmira men's baseball team has partnered with Funds2Orgs to launch a fundraising effort this past week to help finance the team's spring trip to Florida. For more details on how you can participate, please visit the following link: Click Here.
 
Women's Tennis Heads to ITA Northeast Regional Championships
Women's tennis will take on a competitive field this coming weekend when it heads William Smith College for the Northeast Regional of the ITA Championships. Ayaka Yoshino '16 will look to lead the Soaring Eagles to a strong showing at their most competitive event of the fall season.
 
A Look Back on the Week That Was…
 
Men's Soccer Ties Stevens in Empire 8 Opener
After beginning the week dropping a tough 2-0 shutout at RIT, men's soccer returned home for an extremely difficult test in its Empire 8 opener against Stevens. The Soaring Eagles have gotten off to a tough start this season and the prospect of the previously nationally ranked Ducks coming to town would be a difficult task to handle. Stevens had never lost or drawn an Empire 8 opener since joining the conference in 2007, but that record now has a blemish, as Elmira tied Stevens 1-1 on Saturday afternoon. The game did not get off to the best of starts, as the Soaring Eagles conceded in the 15^th minute. Tony Barraco '18 knotted things up just before the halftime horn with his first goal of the season. Austin Mansell '16 played splendidly to keep the Ducks at bay through the second half and both overtime periods, especially when the Soaring Eagles were forced to play down a man when Michael Bryant '17 was sent off with a second yellow late in regulation time. The senior keeper finished with seven saves.
 
Updates on EC Men's Soccer can be found: HERE.
 
Yoshino Sets New Program Mark, Women's Tennis Sweeps Weekend Set
Ayaka Yoshino '16 has been the unquestioned leader of the Soaring Eagles this season and continued her domination of opponents this past weekend, leading Elmira to its first two Empire 8 victories of the season over St. John Fisher and Utica College. She set the new program record for singles victories on Saturday against the Cardinals, defeating Sarah Sorrentino 6-1, 6-1 at first singles to notch her 32^nd career victory. She did not wait long to extend the mark, besting Rose Zaloom of Utica 6-0, retired on Sunday. Yoshino also paired with Ellen Plowman '16 for a pair of doubles victories on the weekend, bringing her overall total to 65 career victories. She currently sits just five wins away from equaling Olivia Garcia's '05 program record of 70.
 
Updates on EC Women's Tennis can be found: HERE.
 
Women's Volleyball Splits Saturday Double at New Rochelle
Coming off a 3-1 loss in its Empire 8 opener against Ithaca College, women's volleyball looked to get back on track in non-conference play with a dual match at the College of New Rochelle. The Soaring Eagles opened the day with a 3-1 loss to the tournament host, but rebounded nicely with a 3-1 victory over Plattsburgh State. Natalie Schieder '19 led the Soaring Eagles with 26 kills on the day, including a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs in the victory over Plattsburgh State. Taylor Kaznowski '19 led Elmira in assists in both matches, racking up 48 helpers on the day, including a career-high 29 against Plattsburgh.
 
Updates on EC Women's Volleyball can be found: HERE.
 
Men's Golf Concludes Fall Leg of Empire 8 Championships
The men's golf team had a busy week, participating in a pair of tournaments. The Elmira men kicked off the week with a fourth place showing at the Keuka College Invitational on Wednesday. Jarryd ten Vaanholt '16 shot an excellent 75 (+3) to finish third overall at the event. However, Wednesday's tournament served as a warm up for the weekend, as the Soaring Eagles traveled to Timber Banks Golf Club for the fall leg of the Empire 8 Championships. Contending with its most difficult conditions of the season, the Elmira men finished in seventh place through the opening two rounds, currently sitting 89 shots off the pace of tournament leader St. John Fisher College. ten Vaanholt again led the way for Elmira, carding rounds of 83 and 81 to sit in a tie for 15^th place. Charl Pretorius '19 also had a strong first round, tying ten Vaanholt with for the team's low round of the day with an 83.
 
Updates on EC Men's Golf can be found: HERE.
 
Scoring Streak Continues, But Field Hockey Drops Pair
Elmira field hockey continued its scoring ways this week, but was unable to secure its second victory of the season. Katie Carroll '18 tallied to two goals, both giving the Soaring Eagles leads in a non-conference bout with Wilkes University on Wednesday afternoon. However, the Colonels would answer both goals, before ultimately pulling ahead late in the second half to send EC to a 3-2 loss. Elmira concluded its season-long three-game home stand on Saturday against Empire 8 foe Utica. The Pioneers jumped on the Soaring Eagles right from the hop, tallying twice in the first and second halves to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Kristy Haskell '19 extended the Soaring Eagles goal scoring streak to four consecutive games with her first collegiate tally in the loss.
 
Updates on EC Field Hockey can be found: HERE.
 
Cross Country Teams Continues Season at Yellowjacket Invitational
The Elmira cross country teams saw excellent meet-to-meet improvements when they traveled to the Yellowjacket Invitational hosted by the University of Rochester on Saturday. For the Elmira women, Hannah Lundgren '18 again paced the way for the Soaring Eagles with a 27:47.90. Julia Ashey '17, Abby Tourison '17, Danielle Slate '17 and Morgan Gerchman '17 all posted improved times from their season opener last weekend. On the men's side, Cody Stinson '16 improved 1:27.37 from his 8K time of last week to lead the Soaring Eagles with a 31:01.00 overall. James Fritsche '17 made his Elmira debut at the event, clocking in second on the team with a 32:07.10.
 
Updates on EC Women's Cross Country can be found: HERE.
Updates on EC Men's Cross Country can be found: HERE.
 
Women's Soccer Endures Difficult North Country Road Trip
Elmira women's soccer played its final two non-conference games, ahead of its Empire 8 opener this coming Wednesday, this past weekend when the team traveled to the North Country to take on Clarkson University and St. Lawrence University. The Soaring Eagles battled hard on Friday against the Golden Knights putting five shots on target, but Clarkson would come away with the 2-0 win. Saturday was a forgettable day for EC, as Elmira conceded four times in each half in an 8-0 white wash by the Saints.
 
Updates on EC Women's Soccer can be found: HERE.
 
The Week Ahead…
 
Monday, September 21, 2015
Men's Golf at Oswego State Fall Invitational, 1:00 p.m.
 
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Men's Soccer vs. Alfred State, 4:00 p.m.
*Women's Tennis at Ithaca College, 4:00 p.m.
 
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
*Women's Soccer vs. St. John Fisher, 4:00 p.m.
Men's Tennis at Oswego State, 4:00 p.m.
Women's Volleyball vs. Alfred State, 6:00 p.m.
 
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Women's Cross Country at Harry F. Anderson Invitational, 11:00 a.m.
Men's Cross Country at Harry F. Anderson Invitational, 11:00 a.m.
*Women's Soccer vs. Utica, 12:00 p.m.
*Field Hockey at Hartwick, 1:00 p.m.
*Women's Volleyball vs. Nazareth (in Oneonta, NY), 1:30 p.m.
*Men's Soccer vs. Alfred, 3:00 p.m.
*Women's Volleyball at Hartwick, 4:00 p.m.
Women's Golf at Martin-Wallace Invitational
Women's Tennis at USTA/ITA Northeast Regional Championships
 
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Women's Golf at Martin-Wallace Invitational
Women's Tennis at USTA/ITA Northeast Regional Championships
 
Bold Indicates Home Event
* Indicates Conference Matchup