GENEVA, NY – The University of Rochester field hockey team saw its quest for a Liberty League title end in the conference semifinals, with host and 2nd-seeded William Smith College earning a 1-0 victory on Friday evening at McCooey Field.
 
The Herons (12-7) got a 50th minute goal from Kate Barilla and withstood a Rochester barrage over the final ten minutes to hold on, advancing to the Liberty League championship on Sunday against top-seeded Ithaca.
 
Rochester sees its record fall to 14-7 on the year, with all seven losses coming by one-goal margins. The Yellowjackets and Herons met earlier this season, with William Smith winning that contest back in September in a shootout by a 2-1 score.
 
The first half of Friday's contest was a defensive battle in the midfield, with only four total shots taking place in the opening 30 minutes.
 
Rochester's Bella Militi had the first solid scoring opportunity in the ninth minute, slipping a backhand cross towards the goal from in close on the left side, but her attempt, which got past Heron keeper Kristen McCormick was swept off the goal line by Barilla for a defensive save.
 
William Smith's opening shot on goal came at 12:15, as Sofia Patillo saw the attempt from the center circle ten yards out kick away by Rochester's Kara Houston in the cage.
 
In the second quarter, Militi got another good look at a goal getting a 1-on-1 chance with McCormick, but the William Smith goalie came far off her line to break up the backhand attempt.
 
Shortly after halftime, UR's Vivianna Arnold had a 1-timer sweep shot sail just wide of the goal off a cross inside the circle from Maeve Fogarty. The Herons countered at the other end with a dangerous cross at the goal mouth, but Houston recovered to save the shot at the right post by Rebecca Mantione.
 
Rochester earned the games first penalty corner late in the third, with the result being a Jodie Zeng left wing sweep shot that ended wide left.
 
During the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter, William Smith handled possession and earned three shots and its lone corner of the game.
 
That only corner paid off, as Barilla tallied the lone goal at the 49:17 mark, pushing a 10-yard shot past Houston after the Herons connected on several passes during its corner offense play. The final pass was made by Mary Kate Breward across the middle of the circle, with her getting credit for the assist.
 
After the Herons goal, Rochester controlled most of the possession the rest of the way, but was unable to notch the equalizer.
 
Zoe Conomikes saw a shot sail high off a bouncing penalty corner attempt in the 55th minute.
 
A couple minutes later, UR had its closest chance at a goal when after receiving a pass at the right wing, Delainey Hebble's shot deflected off a Heron defender and clanked off the left post. Conomikes was all over the rebound, getting another shot on target, but McCormick was there to punch the ball away.
 
In goal, McCormick finished with two saves in the shutout win. Rochester's Houston made three stops.