GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College first-year Brittany Furlong (Cazenovia/Cazenovia, N.Y.) scored an unassisted goal with 3:07 remaining to send the field hockey team to the Liberty League Championship match. The top-seeded Herons posted their second straight 2-1 victory over No. 4 Union College in today’s conference semifinals on McCooey Field.

In the 11th minute, sophomore Sarah Palmer (Friends School/Baltimore, Md.) gave William Smith a 1-0 lead, finishing a feed from senior Brittney Paye (Clinton/Clinton, N.Y.). Palmer’s fourth goal of the year proved to be the only tally of the first half.

The Herons (14-4) maintained the single-goal lead late into the second stanza, until the Dutchwomen (12-6) got a penalty corner with about six minutes remaining. Sophomore Lizzy Moran (Algonquin/Southborough, Mass.) sent the insertion to first-year Lauren Politz (Goffstown/Goffstown, N.H.), who drove home her first career goal from the left wing.

Less than three minutes later, sophomore Kaitlyn Hamilton (Harpursville/Harpursville, N.Y.) sent a shot on the Union cage that junior goalie Liz Stanford (Acton-Boxboro/Acton, Mass.) kicked aside. The rebound came right to Furlong, who buried a low-angle shot for her eighth goal of the season.

Stanford finished with seven saves, while junior Katie DeKraker (Staples/Westport, Conn.) turned back four shots to earn the win.

William Smith will face Skidmore (13-4) in the championship match on Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. The third-seeded Thoroughbreds upset No. 2 St. Lawrence 3-1 in the second semifinal. Fans can watch the championship match online at ECAC.tv.