PINE VALELY, N.Y.-The William Smith College ice hockey team defeated Nazareth 2-0 in a United Collegiate Hockey Conference semifinal contest at The Murray Athletic Center this evening. With the win, the Herons are now 18-7-2 on the season.
 
William Smith will seek its first conference title tomorrow when it takes on No. 1/3 Elmira. Faceoff at the Murray Athletic Center is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
Sophomore Emily Martino and senior Jordan Roetzer scored the goals for William Smith. Sophomore Olivia Williams stopped all 23 shots she faced as she recorded her sixth shutout of the season. It was her eighth shutout of her career, breaking Maggie Salmon's mark. UCHC Goalie of the Year Adrianna Brehm made 19 saves for the Golden Flyers (19-4-2).
 
Neither team found the back of the net in the first period. The Herons emerged with a 6-5 edge in shots on goal and used a tenacious forecheck to keep the puck pinned in the Nazareth end.
 
William Smith continued to mount the pressure in the second period. Sophomore Lexi Nottke fired a shot from the point that deflected off a Nazareth stick but was turned aside by Brehm. At the 12:13 mark of the period, Martino opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle into the upper right corner of the cage. Her sixth goal of the season was a power-play goal. Sophomore Jules Kennedy was credited with an assist on the play.
 
Madison Nichols had Nazareth's best scoring chance of the game just after Martino's goal. Nichols wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle that Williams turned aside with her glove.
 
Roetzer sealed the victory for William Smith with a rebound goal at the 7:11 mark of the third period. She crashed the net hard following a scoring attempt from sophomore Julia Mings and poked the loose puck over the goal line. It was Roetzer's seventh goal of the season.
 
Williams played her best in the third period stopping all 11 shots she faced. She made several highlight reel stops as the Golden Flyers pushed for the equalizer late in the game.
 
The Golden Flyers finished the game with a 23-19 edge in shots on goal. The Herons were 1-for-2 on the power play and Nazareth finished the game 0-for-2 with the extra attacker.