COLONIA, NJ – The six teams that will compete for the 2024 East Coast Conference Women's Soccer Championship crown and the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division II Championship are set. No. 1 Molloy and No. 2 Daemen have earned byes into the semifinals while No. 3 Queens, No. 4 Mercy, No. 5 Roberts Wesleyan, and No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas will battle in First Round action this Thursday, November 7.

2024 East Coast Conference Women's Soccer Championship Central

Defending-champion Molloy (10-4-2) is the No. 1 seed after going a perfect 7-0-0 in ECC play this year. The Lions are undefeated in their last nine matches (7-0-2) dating back to September 24 and have conceded just four goals during that span. Goalkeeper Elyse Munoz leads the ECC in goals against average (.903) and ranks second in save percentage (.823) and shutouts (7) and is no stranger to the big stage afer being named the ECC Women's Championship Most Outstanding Player as a rookie last fall. Three of the ECC's top 10 point scorers are Lions in Jana Strait (15), Isabella Muro (14), and Madison Keenan (11); that trio has paced Molloy in leading the ECC in scoring offense at 1.75 goals per game. The Lions, who have appeared in each of the last four ECC Championship Finals and won three of them (2019, 2021, 2023) receive a bye for the First Round and will host the winner of Thursday's First Round match-up between No. 4 Mercy and No. 5 Roberts Wesleyan.

Daemen (8-8-0, 6-1-0 ECC) earns the other bye with the No. 2 seed and will host the winner of Thursday's First Round match-up between No. 3 Queens and No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas. The Wildcats own power numbers on both the offensive and defensive ends. ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Kylie Miranto leads the conference and ranks in the top 20 of NCAA Division II in both points (27) and goals (11). In goal, Becca Schultz leads the ECC in save percentage (85.2 percent) and ranks in the nation's top five in saves and saves per game (138/8.63). Daemen finished runner-up to Molloy in last year's ECC Championship Final.

No. 3 Queens (9-6-1, 4-3-0 ECC) hosts No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (3-9-3, 2-4-1 ECC) on Thursday evening in Flushing, NY.

The Knights won the regular season match-up over the Spartans, 2-0, on October 27 in Sparkill, NY. Ashley Kieblesz (12') and Julia Ragone (21') scored and rookie goalkeeper Samantha Hines-Hirsch made seven saves in the full 90:00.  In the ECC, Ragone ranks third in points (19) and goals (9) while Hines-Hirsch ranks third across the board in goals against average (1.31), saves (69), save percentage (.775), and shutouts (5). Queens reached the ECC Championship Final once, finishing runner-up in 2010.

STAC is led on the offensive end by Amalie Steen, who sits in the ECC's top five in points (14) and goals (7). Goalkeeper Catalena Robson averages 4.54 stops per game, good for a top five spot in the conference. The Spartans are still on the hunt for their first ECC Women's Championship crown.

No. 4 Mercy (9-7-2, 4-3-0 ECC) hosts No. 5 Roberts Wesleyan (5-9-1, 3-4-0 ECC) on Thursday afternoon in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

The Mavericks won the regular season match-up over the Redhawks, 2-1, on October 5 in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Mercy's Ancksu Dixon broke the tie in the 51st minute and ECC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Skyler Schwenkler led the defensive unit to just four RWU shots on goal for the match. Dixon ranks second in the ECC in points (26) and goals (10), including an ECC-leading five game-winners, while Hailey Metzger finished the regular season as the ECC's leader in assists (7); Metzger had the assist on Dixon's game winner over RWU. Rookie goalkeeper Anneliese Becker sits atop the conference in shutouts, blanking eight opponents in all 1620:00 minutes this fall. 

Alyssa Hackett is the offensive leader for the Redhawks, sitting seventh in the ECC in points (13). Goalkeeper Mia Tyndell ranks in the ECC's top five in saves per game (5.00) and goals against average (1.81) and made 11 stops in 13 opportunities against the Mavs last time out. 

Tickets for each game of the championship can be purchased in advance here. Ticket prices are $10 for general admission adults and $5 for students (with ID), senior citizens and children 5 and up; children under 5 are free of charge. In addition, cash will not be accepted, so walk-up tickets at the venue still must be purchased through the ECC website (QR code will be available at the gate).

Each match of the championship will be streamed live on the ECC Network. Watch the ECC Network at www.eccsportsnetwork.com or by downloading the ECC Network app. Find the app by searching "ECC Network" on Apple or Android mobile phones and tablets or on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku streaming devices. 

2024 ECC Women's Soccer Championship
First Round - Thursday, November 7
1:00 PM – No. 5 Roberts Wesleyan at No. 4 Mercy (at Dobbs Ferry, NY)
7:00 PM – No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 3 Queens (at Flushing, NY)

Semifinals - Sunday, November 10
11:00 AM – Winner STAC/QC at No. 2 Daemen (at Amherst, NY)
12:00 PM – Winner RWU/MER at No. 1 Molloy (at Rockville Centre, NY)

Final - Saturday, November 16 (at Highest Remaining Seed)
Semifinal winners