WASHINGTON, D.C. - The third-seeded Catholic women's soccer team is set to travel to Scranton, Pa. for the Landmark Conference Championship after upsetting second-seeded Lycoming on the road Wednesday evening. The Cardinals will make their seventh trip to the title game since joining the Landmark in 2007, and their first since 2023, where they faced off against the Royals.

Another Chapter in the Rivalry

Catholic trails the all-time series against Scranton, 8-15-3, with the two programs battling to a 0-0 draw in their most recent meeting. The Cardinals will look to flip the script and earn their first win over the Royals since 2015, where a 3-2 victory secured back-to-back Landmark titles for Catholic in 2014 and 2015.

Scouting the Royals' Reign

Top-seeded Scranton enters the championship match after a 1-0 semifinal win over Susquehanna, powered by a late goal from Lena Madjor sealed their fate. The Royals outshot the River Hawks 19-2 and picked up their 15th shutout of the season, tying them for second-most in the nation.

The Royals have outscored their opponents 42-8 this season and hold a 337-104 advantage in shots, 17.7 shots per game. Scranton is currently unbeaten in conference play, sitting at 8-0-1 and 14-2-3 overall.

Scranton's Jenna Borelli is fourth in the conference in goals with eight for the Royals, including four game-winners. Borelli also has three assists to bring her to 19 points, and has notched 52 shots, 32 of which were on goal. Peyton Dilello trails Borelli, sitting at second on the Royals' squad with five goals. 

How the Cardinals Found Their Stride

The Cardinals rank second in the conference in shots with 359 total shots and are nearly even within the Royals are neck-and-neck in shots on goal, Scranton with 160 and Catholic with 159. Catholic has scored 36 goals this season while allowing just 13, the second-fewest in the Landmark.

Caroline Aponte has been a consistent offensive threat, ranking fourth in the conference in shots with 63 and tallying six goals and four assists for a total of 16 points. Senior Sam Cesario has been a powerhouse on the Cardinals' squad after returning from an ACL injury. Cesario has notched six goals and two assists in her nine appearances and is currently second in the Landmark in points per game, averaging 1.56. 

On the defensive side, Kaitlyn Houri, Emily Harkins, and Alex Berish have been anchors on the back line all season. Berish has logged 1536 minutes and picked up two goals and an assist while Houri and Harkins have proven to be reliable defenders in the lineup.

Between the posts, Ava Rieger has been a standout performer for the Cardinals. Rieger leads the conference with a save percentage of .847 and is tied for first with nine shutouts. In the last meeting against Scranton, Rieger picked up a season-high 12 saves, to preserve a scoreless. She has also solidified her spot in the record books as career leader in goals against average at 0.81, save percentage at .818, and shutouts with 31. 

The Landmark Conference Championship kicks off Saturday, November 8, at 4 p.m. on Weiss Field. Tickets can be purchased here.