NFHCA Coaches Poll

The William Smith College field hockey team enters its final weekend of Liberty League play ranked seventh in the nation in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll. The Herons are 11-2 overall and slipped one spot after a hard-fought 1-0 loss at top-ranked Montclair State on Saturday.
 
With a 3-1 mark, William Smith is tied for second in the Liberty League standings. The Herons can wrap up a spot in the conference's four-team championship tournament with at least one win in their two league matches this weekend or with a St. Lawrence loss.
 
The Herons begin the weekend with a 4 p.m. match on Friday, Oct. 25 against the Saints (5-8, 1-3) in Canton, N.Y. Since the Liberty League was founded in 1995, William Smith leads the series with St. Lawrence 19-3, including an 8-1 record in Canton. The Herons have won each of the past three meetings, including last season's 6-1 contest in Geneva.
 
On Saturday, Oct. 26, William Smith will head to Saratoga Springs to take on Skidmore (11-3, 3-1). The Thoroughbreds are 17th in this week's NFHCA poll and will be the fourth nationally-ranked opponent the Herons have faced this season. Since 1995, William Smith leads the series between the two schools 14-12, including last season's 3-1 triumph in Geneva. The Herons are just 4-8 in Saratoga Springs and looking for their first road win in the series since 2004 (2-1).
 
The William Smith offense is producing 3.64 goals per game, third in the league. Seniors Taylor Cappello and Melanie O'Connor lead the charge. Cappello is fourth in the league in points (23) and fifth in both goals (9) and goals per game (0.75). O'Connor is third in assists per game (0.78), fourth in points per game (2.11), and sixth in assists (7).
 
Fans can follow both matches online. St. Lawrence will produce live video and live stats, while Skidmore will have live stats.