ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Julia Simmons scored two goals and Alessandro Patrizio scored one as William Smith College defeated the University of Rochester, 3-0, at Edwin Fauver Stadium in the semifinals of the Liberty League field hockey championships.

The win puts William Smith into the championship game at Skidmore College on Saturday. Skidmore defeated Vassar College, 4-0, at home in the other semifinal. The Liberty League champion gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Rochester has a 14-6 overall record. The Yellowjackets were 4-2 in the Liberty League regular season and secured second place by virtue of a 3-1 win over William Smith on October 11, also at Fauver Stadium. The Herons improved to 15-3 overall. They finished 4-2 in Liberty League regular season play. William Smith is ranked #10 in the current Division III poll by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Rochester is #19 in the same poll.

Amy Freda made five saves in goal for William Smith to post the shutout. Tara Lamberti made 17 saves in the final 53:35 for Rochester and allowed two goals. Madison Wagner started for the Yellowjackets. In 16:25, she made one save and allowed one goal.

Rochester's best chance to take the lead came with just over nine minutes elapsed. Katie Flaschner hit a lofted shot off a penalty corner that Freda parried with her stick and the defense cleared away.

Shortly thereafter, the Herons broke into the lead. William Smith sped down the field on a counter attack and got the ball to Patrizio in flight. She ran 20 yards, avoided a defender, then slotted the ball into the net from 12 yards out at 11:14 as Wagner charged off the line.

Simmons made it 2-0 at 20:10. She was there to tip the ball into the goal just inside the left post as it came across the goalmouth.

With less than seven minutes left in the half, Rochester's Lindsey Randall raced down the right sideline and crossed the ball in front, just beyond the reach of Flaschner.

The Yellowjackets had a goal called back two minutes into the second half. Michelle Relin lined a penalty corner from Megan Keil into the right side of the cage, but it was too high, striking the back of the cage just above the wood.

Lamberti made four saves in a flurry in the goalmouth four minutes later and a penalty stroke was awarded with 29:04 left in the match when she was judged to have lain on the ball. Margaret McConnell seemed to lose her footing as she tried to loft it and the ball rolled weakly to Lamberti.
With 27:36 left in the match, another Keil penalty corner found Randall on the left side. Her shot struck the left post and was cleared.

The clinching goal came at 44:06. Amy David's shot fell at the feet of Simmons and she was able to direct it into the low left corner.

William Smith held a 26-13 advantage in shots and an 11-5 edge in penalty corners. Rochester made a total of 19 saves – 17 by Lamberti, one by Wagner, and a defensive save by Flaschner in the closing minutes.