The William Smith College basketball team will open the 2013-14 season tonight, hosting nationally ranked Ithaca College in Bristol Gym. The Herons and Bombers will tip off at 6 p.m.
 
Led by ninth-year Head Coach Lindsay Sharman, William Smith welcomes back eight players, including three starters, from last season's squad that posted a 17-10 overall record and came within three points of qualifying for the NCAA Championship. The Herons stunned defending conference champion Vassar 69-58 in the Liberty League tournament semifinals and nearly captured the program's seventh conference title, falling to St. Lawrence 51-48 in the championship game.
 
That margin has fueled the Herons offseason and preseason workouts and has the team hungry for more. The eight veterans on this year's roster include six upperclasswomen. Sasha Borenstein, Molly Breen, Erin O'Brien, and Jacqueline Murphy enter their final season as established leaders and talented athletes.
 
One of the top 3-point shooters in William Smith history, Borenstein could eclipse several career records with another strong showing from beyond the arc. She has three of the top seven 3-point field goals made in a season, draining 53, 74, and 67 over the past three seasons. Her 194 career makes are second all-time to record-holder Jill Brower '93 (251). Additionally, Borenstein is third in career attempts with 510 and third in career 3-point percentage at .380. She has also worked hard in the offseason to strengthen her game off the dribble and improve her defense.
 
Breen has a tireless work ethic, strong defensive skills and a blue collar attitude in the low post (3.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg off the bench in 2012-13). She could challenge for a spot in the starting lineup, but has missed most of the preseason due to injury.
 
O'Brien is back for her fourth season in the starting lineup at point guard. She averaged 9.0 ppg 2.7 rpg, and 3.7 apg last season and ranked 21st in the nation in assist-to-turnover (1.88). O'Brien is an intelligent player, speedy, and stronger than at any other point in her career.

The five-foot-four Murphy is seventh in career rebounds (670), and could challenge Jennifer Goodell's 16-year-old career rebounding record (901). Murphy collected 219 caroms last season after grabbing 261 as a sophomore. She averaged 5.7 ppg a year ago and has impressed the coaches with an improved ability to score this preseason.
Junior forward Chloe Hayter led the team in scoring (14.5) and rebounding (7.7) on her way to All-ECAC Upstate and All-Liberty League honors. A force a year ago, she has continued to improve and mature, improving her ability to catch the ball in traffic, serving notice that she is not content to rest on her laurels. Hayter was third in the conference with seven double-doubles in 2012-13, including an impressive 21-point, 17-rebound effort at Vassar.
 
Junior guard Ali Pliszka (1.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 6.0 min/g in 2012-13) is a solid defender and an improving offensive threat. She's expected to take on a larger role on the floor this year.
 
Sophomore forwards Lauren Brustein and Hailey Dietrich provide the Herons with young talent in the post. Brustein played in every game as a first-year and will likely start this year. She works hard on defense, is a relentless rebounder, and a solid scoring threat. Dietrich continues to improve her game, giving the Herons another tall presence in the paint to complement Hayter.
 
The Class of 2017 is a mix of raw talent and college ready. Guard Melanie Patterson will spell O'Brien at the point. She's very fast and makes good decisions in transition. Forward Courtney Chase is also likely to earn quality minutes early on. She is an athletic shooting forward with range to the 3-point arc and is good off the dribble.
 
Mary Buck, Alyssa DiCampli, Krista Anken, and Gabrielle Eure give William Smith depth in the post, like no other season in Sharman's tenure.
 
The Herons expect to take advantage of the new 10-second backcourt and crackdown on hand check rules. William Smith has always used a high-intensity defense to fuel its offense and a time limit in the backcourt plays into that strength. The Herons also believe their overall team speed on defense will allow them to play tight defense without running afoul of the new rule, further frustrating opponents.
 
William Smith's opening night opponent will be far from a warm up. The Bombers are coming off a 27-3 season and return four starters. Ithaca is ranked No. 13 in the WBCA preseason poll and No. 14 by D3hoops.com.