Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – The #15 Vassar College Women's Soccer team will begin defense of its 2025 Liberty League Championship Friday morning when the #2 seed Brewers host #3 seed Union in a Semifinal matchup on Gordon Field. Kick-off with the Garnet Chargers is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those unable to attend.
At A Glance
- Vassar enters Friday's contest with a 10-1-4 overall record and earned the #2 seed after completing the league schedule with a 6-1-2 record.
- The Brewers are ranked #15 in the latest IWSOC in partnership with the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
- Vassar entered the National Poll at #10 on September 15 and rose to as high as #8 on October 13.
- The Brewers lead the Liberty League with 2.80 goals per game and have allowed only five goals to opponents heading into Friday's tilt.
- Vassar enters the conference championship tournament leading the league in goals (42), assists (38), points (122) and goals allowed (5).
A Look At The Brewers
- Vassar features 15 different goal scorers to date and six players who have scored at least three goals.
- Junior Alice Crowley (St. Louis, MO) paces the offensive attack with nine goals, four assists and 22 points.
- Senior Gianna Panarelli (Jensen Beach, FL) leads the team with six assists and ranks just behind Crowley with seven goals and 20 points. Panarelli has scored the game winning goal for the Brewers on three occasions to date in 2026.
- Sophomore Elena Valle (Rocky Hill, CT) has amassed 16 points to date on the strength of six goals and four assists.
- Caroline Sheehan (Springfield, IL) joins Crowley and Valle in a tie for second on the team with four assists and has added a trio of goals for the Brewers.
- Anna Arban (Temecula, CA) and Liv Ivie (Agoura Hills, CA) have each totaled seven points on the strength of three goals and an assist.
- Sophomore Ava Holman (St. Louis, MO) has also reached seven points; scoring twice and assisting on three other goals.
- Laura Shea (Swarthmore, PA) started all 15 regular season games in goal, turning aside 26 shots and posting a 0.30 goals against average and a .867 save percentage.
- Shea enters the championship leading the conference in goals against average, ranks second in save percentage and tied for fifth in total shutouts (4).
Scouting The Garnet Chargers
- Union earns a berth in the semifinal round following a 2-0 First Round victory against St. Lawrence Tuesday evening.
- The Garnet Chargers hold a 7-4-7 overall record and slotted in the championship bracket as the #3 seed following a 4-1-4 record in league play.
- Hannah Sams leads the offensive attack for Union with 11 points on the strength of four goals and a trio of assists.
- Taylor Bovardi has chipped in three goals and eight points with Julia Bancheri supplying a pair of goals and two helpers.
- Delaney McNinch and Ashley Sheldon join Bovardi and Bancheri in a tie for second on the team with two assists.
- Union enters Friday's tilt ranked 10th in the Liberty League in goals scored (18), but third in goals allowed (10).
- Maya Koster has started 17 of the team's 18 games to date in goal and has totaled 56 saves.
- Koster leads the Liberty League in save percentage (.875) and total shutouts (10) and ranks just behind Shea in goals against average (0.51).
Regular Season Matchup
- The two teams played a scoreless draw in Schenectady on October 7 with Vassar outshooting Union 15-2.
- Shea earned the shutout in goal for the Brewers without having to make a save.
- Koster turned aside six Vassar shots to keep the Brewers off the board.
- Panarelli led all players in the games with seven shots for Vassar.
Recent History vs. Union
- Since 1988 the two teams have played 42 times with the Garnet Chargers holding a 27-11-4 record.
- Vassar is unbeaten in the last four matchups with Union, going 2-0-2, and have not allowed a goal to the Garnet Chargers since 2022.
- Friday's contest will be the third meeting between Vassar and Union in the league championship tournament since the 2019 season with the Garnet Chargers scoring a 1-0 First Round overtime win in 2021 and Vassar earning a 1-0 First Round victory in 2019.
Recent Liberty League Championship History
- Vassar is coming off its first league championship in program history in 2025.
- 2026 marks the 12th time in the last 16 years there has been a championship that Vassar has qualified.
- The Brewers have appeared in the conference Championship Final four times, playing for the league crown in 2010, 2017 and 2019 before winning the title in its most recent appearance in 2025.
What's At Stake
- Friday's winner in Poughkeepsie will take on the winner of the William Smith and Ithaca semifinal Sunday afternoon with the league title on the line.