ITHACA, N.Y.-The William Smith College tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the Liberty League tournament thanks to a 5-1 victory over Rochester Institute of Technology at Cornell's Reis Tennis Center this afternoon. The Herons will take on top-seeded and No. 18 Skidmore tomorrow at 10 a.m.
 
The fourth-seeded Herons (12-6) jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the conclusion of doubles play. Senior Michaelann Denton and first-year Dina Rigas cruised past Amelia Ying and Shayna Ginster 8-1 in the No. 1 spot. Denton and Rigas are 13-8 in doubles play with an 11-6 record in the No. 1 spot. First-years Charlotte Engebrecht and Katelyn Nguyen extended their win streak to three matches with an 8-4 win over Maddy Price and Annie Steinbrink in the No. 3 spot. Engebreht and Nguyen are 9-2 this season, playing all 11 matches at No. 3. William Smith earned the sweep thanks to a hard fought point at No. 2. Sophomores Kate Foley and Allie Perron edged Claire Casalnova and Kristen Zablonski 8-6.
 
RIT (10-7) earned its first point of the match thanks to Zablonski's 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles. The Herons closed out the match with straight set wins at No. 5 and No. 3. Rigas bested Annie Steinbrink 6-1, 6-1 at No 5 to give the Herons a 4-1 lead. The win was the ninth of her rookie season. Foley clinched the overall victory, knocking off Claire Casalnova 6-0, 6-2 at No. 3. Foley is 11-5 on the year with a team best 5-2 mark in the No. 3 spot.
 
Denton and Greenberg both won their first sets and Greenberg was leading in the second set when play was called because William Smith had clinched the match already. The Tigers were up a set at No. 1.
 
The Herons and Thoroughbreds will meet tomorrow at Ithaca's Wheeler Tennis Center in the first of two semifinals. Skidmore won the regular season match 9-0 in Bristol Field House on Feb. 24.