LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall women's soccer team had two celebrations on Saturday afternoon during the final day of the regular season. Before the match, the team honored the five members of its graduating class. After 90 minutes of soccer, the Diplomats could officially celebrate their sixth consecutive postseason appearance following a 1-0 win against Bryn Mawr.
Saturday's victory secured the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Centennial Conference Tournament. The Diplomats begin their postseason journey on Tuesday at fourth-seeded McDaniel. The time for that contest will officially be decided on Monday morning's conference call.
Franklin & Marshall finished Saturday's playoff-clinching victory with a 23-3 advantage in shots. Bryn Mawr goalie Lily Blackman made 11 saves to keep the Diplomats off the board for most of the afternoon, but a quick second half burst proved to be all the Diplomats needed.
Ashley Inacio provided the game-winning goal for the Diplomats with her fourth goal of the season just 1:35 into the second half. Inacio's shot was one of four shots on goal that she registered in the contest. Emerson McDonald led the team with six shots, putting three of her attempts on goal. Ten different players took a shot for the Diplomats as they looked to crack the Owls' defense, with six of those players recording multiple shot attempts.
Senior Lucy Fleming made two saves to add to her school records for both wins and shutouts in a career. The Diplomats finished the regular season with just six goals allowed as they blanked 10 of the 15 opponents that they faced. Fleming's ninth solo shutout this season matched her career high from 2023 and tied her with original record holder Erika Habersaat '99.
Seniors Taylor Weiss and Colleen Ferrarese both played key defensive roles in the shutout, with fellow seniors Emily Cook and Lillian Kleiman each logging at least 60 minutes of playing time on the attacking end of the field. All five of the seniors were recognized for their contributions to the program over the past four years prior to the match. With today's result, they have now advanced to the postseason in every year and will look to build on their success that also features an NCAA Tournament appearance and two trips to the Centennial Conference Championship match.
