PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Rachel Buyan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) scored on a penalty stroke with 2:52 remaining in the match, but it wasn't enough to rally Washington & Jefferson past top-seeded St. John Fisher in a 2-1 loss in the Empire 8 Field Hockey championship game.

The Presidents, who entered play as the number two seed and were making their sixth Empire 8 title game appearance, fall to 15-4 overall this season, while the Cardinals improve to 18-2 behind a 17-match winning streak.

It was the hosts that lit the scoreboard first, as SJFC's Lauren Fazio recorded her 12th goal of the season on a penalty stroke 21:02 into the first half. Just under 20 minutes into the second stanza, the hosts added an insurance goal off the stick of Emily Markarian, her 15th. 

Buyan's penalty stroke was able to bring the Presidents within a goal as time was winding down, but a couple of W&J attempts were turned away and the Cardinals eventually cleared the ball the length of the field to allow time to run out on the comeback bid.

W&J led in shots, 17-9, and shots on goal, 13-7. Amanda Steffey (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) and Laura O'Malley (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) tied for the match high with six shots apiece, with Steffey landing five on target and O'Malley putting four on cage.

Karlie Baran (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Liberty) made four saves in cage, but absorbed the loss.

W&J will now await word on a potential ECAC Division III Championship bid, with opening round games slated to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at campus sites.