BROCKPORT, NY - The No. 5-seeded Brockport men's soccer team will head to No. 1-seeded SUNY Geneseo for the Empire 8 Semifinals on Wednesday, November 4th at 1 p.m. 

Empire 8 First Round Victory

The Golden Eagles advanced to the Empire 8 Semifinals following a 2-1 comeback victory over St. John Fisher in the first round of the Empire 8 Tournament last Saturday. Ryan Mathis led the charge, scoring both goals to power Brockport to the first-round victory.

Aidan Johnson added an assist on Brockport's opening goal, while the Golden Eagles' defense played a critical role in securing the win. Following a St. John Fisher goal at the 17:25 mark, Brockport held the Cardinals without a shot on goal for the remaining 72:35 of the contest. Khadim Amar, Parker Warren, Greg Ramin, and Matteo Burbige each played all 90 minutes, providing a strong defensive presence throughout the matchup.

Empire 8 Athlete of the Week (X2)

Following his outstanding postseason performance, Ryan Mathis was named the Empire 8 Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Mathis scored in the 30th and 64th minutes, recording his second multi-goal performance of the season while netting his ninth and 10th goals of the year. The sophomore established a new career single-season high and continues to lead the Empire 8 in goals scored (T-1st), shots (72), and shots on goal (36).

Raising the Standard

Making its third Empire 8 Tournament appearance since joining the conference in 2024, Brockport continues to establish itself as a postseason contender. Saturday's victory secured the Golden Eagles' third consecutive trip to the Empire 8 Semifinals, putting the program one win away from back-to-back Empire 8 Championship appearances.

Head coach Gary LaPietra has guided Brockport to the postseason in 11 of the last 13 seasons and will look to lead the Golden Eagles to their first conference championship since 2018.

Scouting SUNY Geneseo

The Knights enter Wednesday's matchup riding an eight-match winning streak after posting a 9-2 conference record to capture the Empire 8 Regular Season Championship. SUNY Geneseo has not suffered a loss since falling 3-0 to Nazareth on September 30.

However, Brockport has already demonstrated its ability to compete with the top seed, defeating the Knights 1-0 at home on September 23. Dating back to 2008, the Golden Eagles hold an 11-6-6 record in the all-time series. Wednesday's semifinal will also serve as a rematch of the 2025 Empire 8 Championship, adding another chapter to the rivalry with a championship appearance on the line.

Up Next

With a victory, Brockport would advance to the Empire 8 Championship for the second consecutive season, where the Golden Eagles would take on the winner of Hartwick vs. Nazareth on Saturday, November 7.