GENEVA, N.Y. - The sixth-ranked William Smith College field hockey team notched a 4-0 shut-out victory over Vassar tonight in the semifinals of the Liberty League tournament. For the second time on McCooey Field this season, sophomore Hannah Wood scored all four goals as the Herons advance to the Liberty League Championship Game on Saturday.

The Brewers (12-6) controlled the early portion of the contest, firing the game's first four shots. In the sequence, William Smith junior goalie Biz Chirco made the first of her nine stops to keep Vassar off of the scoreboard.

William Smith (16-2) turned the game's momentum around in the 19th minute when junior Alessandra Patrizio fired a shot wide of the cage. The Herons carried play in the offensive zone and eventually earned their first penalty corner of the game. Wood made the corner count when she scored her first goal of the game, 25th of the season, in the 23rd minute off of a Heron penalty corner. Sophomore Maura Moran inserted the corner to junior Cydney Conley, who stopped the ball for Wood at the top of the arc.  Wood let go one of her patented slap shots to beat the Vassar goalie, Paige Amico. Conley and Moran were credited with assists on the play.

Wood doubled the score in the 27th minute. After a penalty corner, Wood played give-and-go with classmate Alexandra Frary at the top of the arc. Wood's shot deflected off of a Brewer stick and into the back of the net. The Herons earned two more penalty corners in the half. On the third attempt, a Vassar defender stepped in front of Wood's shot, blocking it. On the Herons' fourth corner, Sophie Arnold recorded a defensive save, sweeping the ball off of the goal line.

In the 51st minute, Wood finished her second hat trick of the season. She redirected an Alessandra Patrizio shot into the back of cage. Wood's fourth goal of the game came in the 64th minute. She picked up a loose ball, dribbled around a defender and snapped a shot that snuck between the right post and Amico's leg.
Vassar threatened late but Chirco stood up to the pressure, recording five saves in quick succession. In the 65th minute she robbed Lauren Wiebe on two point blank scoring opportunities.

Wood's four goals tie the William Smith single-game record for goals in a game. This is the third time this season that a Heron has scored four times in a game. Wood scored four goals against New Paltz on Oct. 10, and Patrizio did the same against Geneseo on Sept. 5.  Wood now has 28 goals this season. She is tied for second on the Herons' single-season list with Assistant Coach Sophie Riskie '07. Wood is two goals behind Kimberly O'Gorman's single-season record of 30. She also has 62 points this year, which is third most by a Heron in a single-season.

Chirco got the start in goal and played all 70 minutes in net for William Smith. She stopped all nine shots she faced and recorded her second shutout of the season. Amico started in goal for the Brewers and made five stops.

The Herons outshot Vassar 16-14, but the Brewers held a slight 6-5 edge in penalty corners.

William Smith will be back in action on McCooey on Saturday, Nov. 7, when it hosts the University of Rochester for the Liberty League Championship. The Yellowjackets, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, defeated Skidmore 2-0 in Rochester this evening to earn a spot in the championship game.