The 20th-ranked University of Rochester field hockey used a strong defensive effort and got two timely goals to earn a 2-0 victory over #10 Skidmore College in the Liberty League Tournament semifinals on Wednesday evening at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
The Yellowjackets (16-5), won their sixth straight game and earned the team's first conference tournament victory since beating the same Skidmore team in the 2012 Liberty League semis, also coming at Fauver Stadium.  The Thoroughbreds drop to 13-6 on the season with the loss.
 
Visiting Skidmore tried to mount pressure on the UR defense in the opening minutes, including right off the opening possession when senior captain Jenn Hanks lifted a ball deep into the offensive zone.  The Thoroughbreds would earn the games' first PC and shot in the opening 90 seconds.
 
The 'Jackets would then get their playoff legs underneath them, settling in and mounting their own offensive pressure.  Rochester would capitalize in the 16th minute with a goal from senior Nicole Cerza.  At the 15:14 mark, Cerza was open along the right wing and was slipped a pass from junior Callie Fisher and fired a shot on net, but was stopped by Skidmore keeper Zoe McGuire.  On the ensuing penalty corner though, the two connected on a scrum in front of the cage, with Cerza tapping in a loose ball from Fisher for a 1-0 Rochester lead.
 

Less than three minutes later, Fisher nearly doubled the lead for Rochester if not for Hanks making a strong defensive save at the right post on a lifted shot off a penalty corner.
 
At the half, UR held a slim 5-4 edge in shots while the Thoroughbreds took three corners to UR's two.
 
In the second period, UR took only 2:31 to double the lead to 2-0.  After a first attempt at a penalty corner was broken up, senior captain Michelle Relin settled the second PC pass from junior Tiffany White and blasted a low, hard shot into the back of the cage for her team leading 18th goal of the season.
 
Still trailing by two, Skidmore senior Dani DeGregory had a terrific opportunity to cut into the Yellowjacket lead in the 62nd minute, but her point-blank chance after a penalty corner was stopped by UR's Tara Lamberti in the goal.
 
The 'Jacket defense would clamp down over the final eight minutes, allowing only one more Skidmore shot on goal, and would hold on for the 2-0 win, matching the score from 12 days ago.
 
Rochester's Lamberti made five saves in the shutout, her ninth solo shutout of the season, setting a new single season UR record.  McGuire made four saves in the cage for Skidmore.  Entering Wednesday, the matchup pitted two of the top-3 goalies in terms of save percentage in NCAA Division III, with McGuire ranking 2nd and Lamberti 3rd.
 
With the win, UR will now move on to the Liberty League championship game set for this Saturday at top-seeded William Smith College.  The Herons topped 4th seeded Vassar 4-0 in the other semifinal match on Friday and will look to defeat Rochester for the second time this season on their home field after winning 3-2 on October 7th.