ROCHESTER, N.Y. –The William Smith field hockey team closed out its regular season with a 3-0 loss to the University of Rochester this morning in a crucial conference clash at Edwin Fauver Stadium. With the loss, the Herons fell to 9-10 overall and 3-4 in conference play, while the Yellowjackets improve to 12-6 on the season with a 4-3 mark in the Liberty League.
With the loss, William Smith officially clinched the No. 5 seed in the 2026 Liberty League Tournament and will return to Rochester to take on the fourth-seeded Yellowjackets on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in the first round.
The conference matchup saw Rochester outshoot William Smith 9-5, landing seven shots on target compared to the Herons' one. William Smith held a 12-3 advantage in penalty corners and a 4-1 edge in saves but couldn't break through the Yellowjacket defense in the crucial conference matchup.
Senior Ava Vecchione led the Herons with two shots this morning, while juniors Mia Bolster, Mia Batchelder and Ana Dios Vidal all added one shot each in the loss. Sophomore Olivia Terranova played all 60 minutes in goal for William Smith and made four saves in the setback. With the loss, Terranova is now 9-7 on the season.
MATCH MOMENTS:
- The Yellowjackets gained early possession in the crucial conference clash, firing off the first four shots of the game but were matched by a strong Heron defensive effort to keep them off the board.
- At the 7:41 mark, Rochester broke the deadlock when Hannah Mehta slipped a shot past Terranova after a scramble in front of net, giving the Yellowjackets an early 1-0 lead.
- In the second quarter, William Smith applied the pressure, earning three straight penalty corners but couldn't create any dangerous scoring opportunities despite pushing for the equalizer.
- The Herons best scoring chance of the opening half came at the 19-minute mark after William Smith earned a penalty corner. Senior Leah Griffith inserted the ball to Batchelder who fired off a shot, but her shot was blocked by a Rochester defender. The Yellowjackets would lock down defensively and close out the first half on top, 1-0.
- Rochester doubled its lead at the 40:16 mark after the Yellowjackets sparked a counterattack against the run of play. Erin Foley found an open Kirsten Matzky who fired a shot past a rushing Terranova to give Rochester a 2-0 lead.
- William Smith tried to respond, earning three penalty corners in the final minutes of the third quarter but could only fire off one shot as Rochester closed out the third quarter with a two-goal lead.
- The Yellowjackets added to their lead two minutes into the final quarter after earning a penalty corner. Grayson Honig dished a pass to Sophia Cuneo who fired a shot past Terranova to give Rochester a 3-0 lead.
- The Herons tried pushing the tempo late, applying pressure in its offensive end but couldn't generate many threatening scoring chances. William Smith's lone chance came off the stick of Vecchione, but her shot was blocked by a Rochester defender. The Yellowjackets used the clock to their advantage and closed out the conference battle on top, 3-0.
UP NEXT:
William Smith will be back in action Tuesday, Nov. 3, when it travels back to Rochester for a Liberty League Tournament matchup with the Yellowjackets. The fifth-seeded Herons will take on the fourth-seeded Yellowjackets at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
