GENEVA, NY - An early 1-0 lead was not enough for the University of Rochester field hockey team as host William Smith College scored three unanswered goal to earn a 3-1 victory in the Liberty League Championship match on Saturday afternoon at McCooey Field.
 
Top seeded and 6th ranked William Smith (17-2) captures its 11th conference title and its first since they defeated Rochester back in 2012.  The 20th-ranked Yellowjackets snap a six-game winning streak and fall to 16-5 on the season.
 
Rochester was able to score the games first goal on its first shot in the opening five minutes as senior captain Michelle Relin scored on a redirection of a penalty corner shot from Tiffany White.
 
The home Herons would score the equalizer just before the 14 minute mark when Alexandra Faray dribbled around the UR defense in the circle and cracked a shot that found the back of the cage.
 
Six minutes later, William Smith would grab the lead with a goal from Maura Moran.  Her shot, after a pass from teammate Alessandra Patrizo, was from the top of the arc and slipped just past UR goalkeeper Tara Lamberti.
 
In the final minute of the half, Relin nearly scored the equalizer for the Yellowjackets, but the Herons' Madison Finn made a nice defensive save to maintain the one goal margin at the break.
 
To start the second half, William Smith applied a ton of pressure to the UR defense, generating two penalty corners and five shots in the opening seven minutes.  Rochester was able to hold strong though the barrage, keeping within one until the 46:03 mark when Patrizo slapped in a loose ball in a scramble in front, giving the Herons a 3-1 lead.
 
After the Heron goal, Rochester answered right back with a quick penalty corner and streak of three straight shots, one of which was blocked and two more that were saved by William Smith goalie Biz Chirco, forcing the Herons to take a time out.
 
The Yellowjackets were held in check for much of the remainder of the game, except for the 68th minute when Relin earned three straight chances in close, only to be saved by Chirco each time.
 
In the game, William Smith had the shot advantage 26-12 and took nine penalty corners to UR's five.  Relin led UR with nine shots, seven on target while Hannah Wood of William Smith led all players with 10 shots (5 on goal).  Lamberti made a season high 13 saves in the loss while Chirco stopped seven in the cage for the Herons.
 
For their efforts during the tournament, UR's Lamberti, Relin, Kathryn Montgomery, Sayaka Abe and Nicole Cerza were named to the conference's All-Tournament Team.