POTSDAM, N.Y.—Fresh off another outstanding regular season, the SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team (13-3-1, 6-2-1 SUNYAC) has earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming SUNYAC Playoffs. They will host sixth-seeded SUNY Fredonia (7-10-1, 3-5-1) at 1 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 27 at Maxcy Turf Field.
 
Tickets for the contest are $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and free for students attending SUNYAC schools with school ID. The ticket window opens at noon on Saturday.
 
The Bears head into the tournament holding onto the No. 10 spot in this week's United Soccer Coaches' NCAA Division III Women's East Regional Poll. Potsdam has now been ranked three straight weeks and four of the past five.
 
The Bears boast the top offense in the SUNYAC, averaging 2.82 goals-per-game. A big reason for that is a roster that contains the top two scorers in the conference and three of the top five. Senior midfielder Brooke Falsion (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) leads the team and the league with 38 points on 16 goals and six assists. This season, the two-time All-SUNYAC selection completed her quest to become Potsdam's all-time leading scorer. She has 106 points on a program record-tying 45 goals and 16 assists. Right behind her in the SUNYAC rankings is senior midfielder Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) with 28 points on eight goals and 12 assists. Murray, who is already the program's all-time assists leader, has surged into third place on the Bears' scoring list with 69 points (19g, 31a). She was second team all-conference last season. Sophomore forward Lexi Dean (Schenectady, N.Y./Mohonasen) is fifth in the SUNYAC in scoring with six goals and four assists for 16 points. Dean was third team All-SUNYAC last season. The Bears have also gotten offensive contributions from senior forward Amber Hyatt (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) (5g, 1a, 11pts.) and the freshmen trio of forward Mackenzie Bowie (Mechanicville, N.Y./Mechanicville) (3-3-9), midfielder Kristina Sanchez (Averill Park, N.Y./Averill Park) (3-1-7) and forward Makenna Crosson (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora) (2-2-6).
 
Defensively, the Bears are on pace to set a program record, allowing just 0.81 goals-per-game. The combination of sophomore defender Maeve Morrissey (Averill Park, N.Y./Averill Park), senior midfielder Sarah Erno (Mechanicville, N.Y./Mechanicville), junior defender Augusta Hayner (Malta, N.Y./Ballston Spa), senior defender Lauren Vedete (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) and junior midfielder Ciara Norris (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) have used their veteran experience to shutdown opposing scorers.
 
Potsdam features the best goalkeeping duo in the conference with junior Delphine Léonard (Anjou, Quebec/Dawson College Prep) and sophomore Gabby Hobika (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford). This season, Léonard is third in the SUNYAC in wins (7), fourth in goals-against-average (0.95), fifth in save percentage (.830) and has posted 2.1 shutouts. Hobika ranks fifth in wins (6), third in G.A.A. (0.65), seventh in save percentage (.821) and fourth in shutouts (4.1).
 
The Blue Devils come in at 7-10-1 overall and 3-5-1 in the conference. Senior midfielder Abby Price (Naples, N.Y./Naples) leads the Fredonia offense with 14 points on six goals and two assists. Sophomore defender Lauren Cullinan (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence) is next with eight points (2-4-8) and freshman defender Emily Kwiakowski (Lakeview, N.Y./Frontier) and sophomore forward Danielle Spring (Allegany, N.Y./Allegany-Limestone) have each scored three goals.
 
Fredonia has allowed 1.78 goals-per-game. Between the sticks, sophomore goalie Abbey Monahan (Warsaw, N.Y./Warsaw) has seen the majority of the action, posting a 5-8-1 record, a 1.67 G.A.A. and a .833 save percentage along with four shutouts. In five games, senior Kendall Owczarak (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) has a 2-2 mark with 1.45 G.A.A, a .773 save percentage and one shutout.
 
The all-time series between the two teams dates back to a 1-0 Potsdam victory on Sept. 5, 1992 in Fredonia. The Bears have won three of the last four meetings between the teams, including a 3-1 win in Potsdam last Saturday.