POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.—The fourth-seeded William Smith field hockey team saw its three-game win streak come to a close as it fell to top-seeded Vassar 2-1 this afternoon in a Liberty League semifinal matchup. With the loss, the Herons conclude their season at 12-9, while the Brewers improve to 12-6 overall and advance to Sunday's championship game against second-seeded Union.
 
The postseason battle saw Vassar combine for 13 shots as a team, landing seven on target, while William Smith fired off six shots, landing three on target. Both the Herons and the Brewers earned three penalty corners each in the thriller, while William Smith held a 5-2 advantage in saves over Vassar.
 
Senior Lily Gutch scored her team-leading 10th goal of the season for the Herons this afternoon, scoring on her lone shot of the game. Junior Leah Griffith was credited with the assist on the goal, marking her fourth assist of the season. Sophomore Carolie Kogut led William Smith with two shots, landing one on target. Griffith, Gutch, sophomore Mia Batchelder and graduate student Rebecca Mantione tallied one shot each in the loss.
 
First-year Olivia Terranova played 57:07 in goal for the Herons and made five saves in the loss. She concludes her rookie season with a 9-7 record for William Smith.
 
MATCH MOMENTS:

• William Smith opened the scoring just 3:15 into the game after Gutch finished the Herons first scoring chance of the game. Griffith took her defender to the endline and fired a pass across cage to a waiting Gutch, who ricocheted the shot into the back of the net to give William Smith the early lead.
• The Brewers looked for a response as the opening quarter came to an end and fired off back-to-back shots, but Terranova stood tall in net and kept Vassar off the board.
• 3:19 into the second quarter, the Brewers were awarded a penalty corner. A Vassar attacker fired a shot into the back of the net, but the shot was called dangerous, keeping the Brewers off the board.
• Vassar continued to apply the pressure in the second quarter, firing off three shots compared to William Smith's one but the Herons defense continued to lock down, closing out the first half on top 1-0.
• Just 4:47 into the second half, the Brewers would get on the board. After a William Smith penalty corner, Vassar forced a fast break that ended in a Karina Hoffman goal to tie the game at 1-1.
• The Brewers continued to apply pressure in the fourth quarter, firing off four shots before grabbing the lead in the 54th minute. Hoffman would be credited with her second goal of the game. She received a long pass from Audrey Izzo and turned and slipped a shot past Terranova to give Vassar a late 2-1 lead.
• William Smith tried to respond in the final four minutes and found a late shot from Mantione, but Grace Wiley stood tall in net for the Brewers and closed out the conference thriller on top, 2-1.

COACHES CORNER:

"While today's outcome didn't go the way we had hoped, I'm really proud of how well we battled," said Head Coach Sophie Riskie '07. "Lily finished a great crossing ball to gain an early lead. Vassar came out really strong in the second half and sharpened their passing execution. It's always sad when the season comes to a close but we made tremendous strides over the course of the season and have a lot to be proud of. I thank our seniors and Rebecca who have given so much to our program in their work ethic, leadership and selflessness. They leave a lasting impact on each of us."