The William Smith College soccer team will host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the semifinals of the Liberty League Tournament Friday, Nov. 3. The match is set to kick off at 11:30 a.m. on Cozzens Field.
 
MATCH COVERAGE

• Video: HWS All-Access
• Radio: WHWS-FM (105.7)
• Stats: hwsathletics.com/sidearmstats/wsoc

 
A LOOK AT THE BRACKET

• William Smith is the Liberty League regular season champion and top seed in the tournament. The Herons earned a bye to the semifinals.
• RPI is the No. 5 seed and is coming off a 2-1 victory at fourth-seeded Clarkson in Tuesday's first round. Izzy O'Clair and Brooke Miller scored for the Engineers against the Golden Knights.
• Second-seeded RIT also received a first round bye and will host Friday's other semifinal.
• The Tigers will take on third-seeded Ithaca, which toppled No. 6 St. Lawrence 2-0 in the other first round match.
• The Liberty League Championship match will be played at the highest remaining seed on Sunday, Nov. 5.

 
ABOUT THE HERONS

• William Smith brings an 11-0-4 record into the tournament, having outscored opponents 34-7 this season.
• The Heron lineup features 11 different players who have scored goals led by midfielder Ava Ruppersberger's six tallies.
• Katrine Berg leads the team and is second in the conference with seven assists, one away from her 2022 season total.
• Kirsten Nelson has held down the team's goalkeeper duties this season, boasting a 0.49 GAA and an .883 save percentage. She ranks second in the league in both categories.
• The Herons haven't allowed a goal in their past eight matches, posting a 7-0-1 record during that run.
• William Smith, which has been ranked in the top 10 of the United Soccer Coaches poll all season, landed at No. 7 in this week's ranking.

 
ABOUT THE ENGINEERS

• RPI holds a 9-4-4 record on the season.
• Senior Gwen Barns has scored a league-high eight goals this season. She also leads the team with four assists and 20 points.
• Megan Wapner has started all 17 matches in goal, posting an .810 save percentage and a 1.08 GAA.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• William Smith leads the series with Rensselaer 33-2, including a 3-0 win on Cozzens Field on Oct. 13. Heron goalies Kirsten Nelson and Zoe Weeks combined to make five saves in the shutout.
• William Smith has won 11 in a row against Rensselaer and is 20-0 against the Engineers in Geneva.
• This will be the first postseason meeting between the two teams since the 2016 Liberty League Championship match. The Herons won that contest 4-0 on Cozzens Field.