GENEVA, N.Y.--The top-seeded William Smith College soccer team defeated No. 4 seed Union College 5-0 in a Liberty League tournament semifinal played this afternoon on a windy Cozzens Field. Senior Brie Ruane led the Herons with her first career hat trick.
 
William Smith (17-0-0) advances to the Liberty League tournament championship game for the 15th year in a row. The Herons will face No. 3 seed Rensselaer, which topped No. 2 Vassar 1-0 in the other semifinal this afternoon. 
 
It's the 11th straight shutout for the Herons and the 13th of the season. The Dutchwomen finished out their season with an 8-6-4 overall record. The Herons matched the most goals scored by one team in the William Smith vs. Union series. The Herons defeated the Dutchwomen 5-0 in the first meeting between the teams in 1995.
 
Ruane started the scoring in the 26th minute. Senior Kara Shue sent a cross from the left side to find junior Evie Manning out in front. Her header went directly to Ruane at the left post who tapped her shot over the line. Ruane struck again with 4:48 left in the first half. She took a pass from junior Cailin MacLean on her right and blasted her shot from just outside of the box into the back of the netting.
 
William Smith added three more goals in the second half to run away with the game. In the 50th minute, junior Lauren Kogelmann carried the ball into the box, sliding by two Dutchwomen defenders, before burying her shot from the top of the box to make it 3-0. It was her first goal of the season. Ruane completed the hat trick in the 60th minute. First-year Elizabeth Moore tapped a short pass to Ruane on her right. Ruane scored from the top of the box. It was her eighth goal of the season, and her six points in the game are a career-high. In the 82nd minute, senior Ella McMackin capped the scoring with her second goal of the season. Sophomore Sarah Olick-Sutphen sent a cross from the right side, across the front of the goal and McMackin was able to tap the ball over the line at the far post.
 
With today's win the William Smith Class of 2017 matched the Class of 2014 for most wins by a graduating class with a 75-5-3 four-year record.
 
The stifling Heron defense did not allow the Dutchwomen to take a single shot. In the 60th minute, Union was awarded a free kick just over the midfield line. Nicole Sturno took the kick sending the ball into the box, but Heron sophomore goalie Veronica Romines came out to intercept the pass and deny the chance.
 
The Herons finished with 22 shots and a 7-0 led in corners. Romines played 81:02 in goal for the Herons, and first-year Alessandra Bryan came in for the final 8:58. Kelsey Hartsoe played all 90 minutes for Union and made seven saves.
 
The Herons will host the Liberty League Tournament championship game on Saturday, Nov. 5. Game time will be announced tomorrow.