PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – 3rd-seeded William Smith College was the lone team to find the back of the net, with the goal coming in the penalty shootout, in a thrilling 1-0 matchup in the Liberty League Field Hockey Tournament Championship over the top-seeded University of Rochester at Edwin Favuer Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
After a scoreless draw through eighty minutes, Emily Leonard was the Herons hero, scoring in the fourth round of the 5-player shootout lineup, while William Smith keeper Kristen McCormick turned away all five Rochester shootout attempts, leading to the one score victory.
 
UR falls to 16-5 on the season following the loss, while William Smith picks up its 16th win of the season, moving to 16-4 and earns the Liberty League's automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
McCormick was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Players, posting a pair of shutouts. On Sunday, she stopped eight shots in regulation and overtime.
 
She did get some help from her teammates though, with Rebecca Mantione and Lauren Jackson each recording a defensive save in the second overtime.
 
Mantione's save came in the 73rd minute, denying a Maeve Fogarty backhand attempt at the left post following a penalty corner.
 
Just seconds following the Mantione defensive save, Karina Bridger also nearly ended the game, ripping a hard penalty corner shot from the top of the circle off the left post.
 
Jackson's was a game-saver as well, with Bridger lifting a backhand attempt at the 76:42 mark, but the UR defender swatted the sure-fire goal out of the air, keeping the game scoreless.
 
Rochester's best period was the second overtime, as the Yellowjackets earned five corners and nine total shots, many of which came following a green card against the Herons.
 
Overall in the game, the Yellowjackets had a big advantage on the stat sheet, taking 21 shots to William Smith's four. UR also took 12 corners to just four for the visiting Herons.
 
The shootout was a dramatic affair, fitting of a 0-0 game through regulation and overtime.
 
Rochester's Nikki Mercer shot first and sent a 10-yard full swing attempt wide. Kara Houston responded by stopping Jackson on a pair of shots during her 8-second attempt.
 
In round two, Zoe Conomikes saw the ball poke checked away by McCormick, with Houston doing the same on William Smith's Sofia Pattillo.
 
The third shooter for UR was Fogarty, whose initial shot was saved, and after she got the ball past McCormick on a second attempt, the ball slipped just past the endline wide of the net before she could tap it into the open net. William Smith's third shootout was a redo by Corinna Dorr, with Houston making three saves on that follow-up attempt.
 
Elisabeth Sidorski shot fourth for UR and earned a penalty stroke after she was tripped up by McCormick. The Heron goalkeeper made up for the mistake though, stopping the stroke attempt with a pad save.
 
Following that huge stop, Leonard connected on another redo attempt for the Herons, juking around Houston to her right and connecting on a shot from 7-yards out.
 
The last attempt by Rochester's Bella Militi who needed to score to keep the game alive was a backhand lifted ball which was sent wide left of the cage.
 
Over the opening four quarters, Rochester had the run of play for most of the contest, but the Heron defense stood tall, denying several good scoring attempts for the Yellowjackets.
 
In the 22nd minute, Militi had a semi-breakaway from the right side into Heron territory and took a hard turnaround shot, but McCormick made the kick save.
 
Early in the second half, Mercer sent a pass up to Fogarty in close on the left side and the UR first-year slipped a shot through the crease but saw it end just wide of the far post. Conomikes was there in front looking for the goal, but she couldn't get a stick on it.
 
At the 49-minute mark in the fourth quarter, Mercer tipped a hard penalty corner shot by Bridger just wide left of the cage. A late green card by Rochester was fended off, sending the game into overtime tied 0-0.
 
Rochester will now wait and see if their season-long resume is enough to earn an at-large berth into the NCAA postseason tournament. The field will be announced on Sunday night in a selection show on NCAA.com.