Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The 13th-ranked William Smith College field hockey team defeated the University of Rochester 2-0 in Liberty League action under the lights of McCooey Field tonight. The Herons improve to 8-1 overall, 2-1 in the Liberty League, while the Yellowjackets fall to 7-4, 1-2 in conference play.

Rochester controlled the ball and the tempo of the match in the first half, but the opening 35 minutes was played largely outside the scoring circles. Both teams managed just a single shot in the frame. Heron senior goalie Katie DeKraker (Staples/Westport, Conn.) turned back the Yellowjackets' offering in the ninth minute.

In the 32nd minute, William Smith made its shot count. On a penalty corner, sophomore Brittany Furlong (Cazenovia/Cazenovia, N.Y.) unleashed a shot from the top of circle that was redirected by junior Sarah Palmer (Friends School/Baltimore, Md.) for a 1-0 lead.

The Herons doubled their advantage in the 44th minute when junior Kaitlyn Hamilton (Harpursville/Harpursville, N.Y.) made a short centering pass from the left side of the cage to her sister, first-year Kiersten Hamilton (Harpursville/Harpursville, N.Y.). The younger Hamilton scored from point blank to raise her goal tally to four on the season.

Junior Christi Bottcher (Lehighton/Lehighton, Pa.), the only player with more than one shot in the match, had Rochester's best scoring opportunity in the 54 minute, but DeKraker proved up to the task on her way to a three-save night. The win was the 42nd of her career, moving her into sole possession of second place on the Herons' all-time list, while the shutout was the 12th of her career, putting her in a tie for fourth with Jessica Kulesa '04 and Kathy Odomirok '89.

Junior Danielle Pearson (Ilion/Ilion, N.Y.) made one save for Rochester.

William Smith is back in action on Oct. 4, when the Herons host No. 5 Messiah at 2 p.m.