Pittsford, NY – The No. 5-seeded Brockport men's soccer team advance to the Empire 8 Tournament Semifinals, defeating No. 4-seeded St. John Fisher University 2-1 on the road. Ryan Mathis scored both goals for the Golden Eagles, including the game-winner in the second half, as Brockport improved to 8-6-3 overall.
St. John Fisher struck first in the 18th minute when Adam Grover converted a penalty kick at 17:25, giving the Cardinals an early 1-0 advantage. Brockport responded in the 31st minute as Mathis found the back of the net off an assist from Aiden Johnson at 30:46, evening the score at 1-1 heading into halftime.
The Golden Eagles came out strong in the second half, controlling possession and creating scoring opportunities. Mathis broke the tie at 64:09, recording his second goal of the contest to give Brockport a 2-1 lead. The Golden Eagles maintained their advantage throughout the remainder of the match, holding the Cardinals without a shot in the second half to secure the postseason victory.
Brockport outshot St. John Fisher 13-7 overall, including an 8-0 advantage in the second half. The Golden Eagles recorded six shots on goal compared to Fisher's one, while also holding a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Mathis led the offensive effort with four shots, three on goal, and two goals. Jadin Lyle added four shots, while Johnson contributed an assist. Goalkeeper AJ Nelson played all 90 minutes in net, helping the Golden Eagles secure the victory.
With the win, Brockport advances to the Empire 8 Semifinals for the third consecutive season since joining the conference in 2024. The Golden Eagles will look to continue their postseason run after reaching the Empire 8 Championship game last season.
Up Next: The Golden Eagles advance to the Empire 8 Tournament Semifinals on Wednesday, November 4th, where they will face the winner of No. 1 SUNY Geneseo and No. 8 Houghton University. The semifinal matchup will be played at the higher seed's home field, with a time to be announced.
