PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – The University of Rochester field hockey team earned the second Liberty League Conference title in program history, defeating #16 Vassar College 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
Rochester's victory propels the Yellowjackets (14-8) into the NCAA Division III Tournament for the fifth straight year and is the second conference title in three years after UR claimed the crown on its home field back in 2017.
 
Vassar finishes the season with a 15-4 record and will await the NCAA's selections on Sunday to see if their resume is good enough to earn an at-large berth into the postseason.
 
Senior Emma Schlechter scored the lone goal for Rochester late in the third quarter and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after finishing the two-game tournament with two goals and one defensive save.
 
Rochester also avenged last seasons loss in the Liberty League championship game which was won by Vassar by the same 1-0 score in Poughkeepsie.
 
The host Yellowjackets were dominant on both ends of the field, limiting the Brewers to just one shot in the game, compared to 15 at the offensive end.  UR also held a big advantage in corners, taking 11 to Vassar's two.
 
"It feels pretty good to win the championship at home, we did this two years ago and it's a great way to cap our career as seniors," explained Schlechter after the win.
 

UR's first good scoring chance of the game came in the second minute of the game when a one-timer penalty corner shot off the stick of Maya Haigis was saved at the left post by Ally Aquilina-Piscit for a defensive save.
 
In the second, Kathryn Colone had a chance off a rebound in the 23rd minute, but Vassar goalkeeper Jules Smith made a nice kick save moving to her right.  Another one-timer, this time from Amanda Strenk made it through traffic four minutes later, but Smith again made a kick save, one of her seven on the day, keeping the game scoreless at intermission.
 
"From start to finish I feel like the team dug in its heels," said UR head coach Wendy Andreatta. "Our team knew they had to get more shots on goal, because of the strength of the Vassar keeper.  She had an outstanding game today and it was really difficult for us to get a goal."
 
Four minutes into the third quarter, Vassar earned its only two penalty corners of the game and its one shot attempt in their best offensive spurt of the contest.  On the second PC, Rylie Pope blasted a hard attempt from the top of the circle towards the left post, but UR's Kate Kujawa made a terrific save, diving to her right, keeping the Brewers off the board.
 
With under two minutes left in the period, Vassar was assessed a green card, giving UR a player advantage for the remainder of the quarter.
 
UR used the extra player to their advantage, scoring the lone goal of the game in the last minute of the third.  On the first PC attempt at 44:15, Strenk had a bouncing shot deflect high in the air off Smith's pads and soar towards the goal line, but the Vassar keeper recovered, swatting the ball away with her blocker.  A follow-up backhand from Juney Lee was then cleared off the line by Cristina Lopez for another defensive save.
 
On the ensuing corner, Rochester's Strenk gathered the inserted pass from Lee at the top of the circle.  She slid the ball to Colleen Maillie along the right wing, and Maillie sent the pass across the circle to Schlechter who found space in close and slipped her shot past Smith on the near side for the 1-0 lead.
 
In the fourth, both defenses buckled down, not allowing a shot to their opponent.  It was the second straight game that UR did not allow a shot against them in the fourth.
 
"The program has definitely has had quite the ride this season, its well deserved and very rewarding," said Maillie.
 
"It's truly an incredible feeling," echoed Haigis.  "We really gave it our all for 60 minutes and earned the win because of the passion we played with."
 
Up next for Rochester will be the NCAA Division III playoffs which are set to begin on Wednesday November 13th.  Pairings will be announced for the opening rounds on Sunday evening at NCAA.com.