LATHAM, N.Y. – Penn State Harrisburg will make its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship after capturing its third straight United East Conference title. The Lions (11-5-2) will face nationally ranked No. 8 Williams College (14-2-1) on Saturday, November 14, at 11:00 AM in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The contest will take place at Cozzens Field in Geneva, N.Y., with William Smith College serving as the regional host.

Penn State Harrisburg earned the United East's automatic qualifying bid following a 2-0 victory over No. 3 St. Mary's College of Maryland in Saturday's conference championship. The victory marked the Lions' fifth conference championship in program history, having previously claimed titles in 2009, 2021, 2024 and 2025.

The Lions seized the early momentum in the championship contest as Abigail Mahaffey found the back of the net in the 10th minute, giving Harrisburg a 1-0 advantage. The Lions' defensive unit controlled the opening half, holding St. Mary's without a shot attempt through the first 45 minutes of action.

The Seahawks generated several opportunities in the second half, but Harrisburg goalkeeper Sydney Mulka and the Lions' defense held firm. With under four minutes remaining in regulation, Julia Hughes connected with Olivia Sgrignioli, who found the back of the net in the 87th minute to extend the lead to 2-0 and secure the championship. Mulka finished with three saves to preserve the shutout.

Sgrignioli was named the United East Championship Tournament MVP after playing all 90 minutes and scoring the insurance goal in the championship contest. The performance followed an impressive semifinal showing in which Sgrignioli recorded a hat trick against Lancaster Bible College.

Penn State Harrisburg entered the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed after completing an undefeated 7-0-1 United East regular season. The Lions continued their success in the postseason, recording three consecutive shutout victories to capture the conference crown.

The championship also marked the first for head coach Matt Garrett, who guided Penn State Harrisburg to the United East title in his first season at the helm.

The Lions return to the national tournament following an impressive postseason run in 2025, when Harrisburg earned victories over nationally ranked No. 14 Christopher Newport University and No. 11 Rowan University to advance to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.

Penn State Harrisburg will face a formidable opponent in nationally ranked No. 8 Williams College, which enters the NCAA Tournament with a 14-2-1 overall record after capturing the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship. The Ephs secured their conference-leading ninth title and first since 2017 with a 2-1 victory over No. 3 Tufts University on Sunday, November 8.

Williams opened the scoring in the 34th minute when junior Elizabeth Stophel found the back of the net. First-year Lyyli Stern doubled the advantage in the 70th minute, scoring her first collegiate goal off a corner kick delivered by Lauren Rosenberg. Tufts cut the deficit in half with under two minutes remaining, but the Ephs held on to secure the championship and the conference's automatic qualifying bid.

Offensively, Williams has been led by Bria Abbiati, who has recorded a team-high 17 points on six goals and five assists. Maya Lloyd has added six goals and four assists for 16 points, while Alli Aleman has contributed four goals and three assists for 11 points. The Ephs have outscored their opponents 39-6 this season, averaging 2.29 goals per contest.

Defensively, Williams has been anchored by goalkeeper Chelsea Mohammed, who has recorded a 0.33 goals-against average, 42 saves and a .894 save percentage. The Ephs have recorded 11 shutouts in 17 contests, allowing just 0.35 goals per game.

The winner of Saturday's matchup between Penn State Harrisburg and Williams College will advance to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday, November 15, where it will face the winner of the first-round contest between host William Smith College and SUNY Cortland. All three contests will be played at Cozzens Field in Geneva, N.Y.

NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship – First Round
Saturday, November 14 – Cozzens Field (Geneva, N.Y.)
Penn State Harrisburg (11-5-2) vs. No. 8 Williams College (14-2-1) – 11:00 AM

2026 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship: VIEW COMPLETE BRACKET
 

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