GENESEO, NY – The University of Rochester field hockey team wrapped up its regular season schedule with a big win, defeating 18th-ranked SUNY Geneseo 1-0 on Friday evening at Geneseo's College Stadium.
 
Graduate student Zoe Conomikes blasted in a rocket shot off a penalty corner in the 23rd minute for the lone score of the game, and the Yellowjacket defense, led by junior goalkeeper Kara Houston fended off the Knights to preserve the shutout.
 
Rochester improves to 16-3 on the season, while Geneseo drops to 16-2. Both will now turn their focus to their upcoming conference tournaments. Rochester plays in the Liberty League semifinals next Friday at Union College, while Geneseo will take part in the Empire 8 tournament next week, with the Knights being the top seed.
 
In a closely contested opening quarter, the Knights were able to get the first good scoring chance of the game in the 13th minute, but a shot from Katrina Clare clanged off the left post and away to safety.
 
Less than a minute later, Rochester's Grayson Honig took her teams first shot of the game, but Geneseo keeper Lilly Spitz was there for the save.
 
Early in the second, Geneseo earned the first two penalty corners of the game and applied some early pressure, but Houston and the 'Jacket defense was able to stave off the chances.
 
Later on in the period, Geneseo's Lauren Briody made a defensive save, stopping Conomikes from getting on the board, but the stop earned the Yellowjackets their opening corner of the game at the 22:25 mark.
 
On that corner, Mara Heppard inserted the ball to Conomikes who ripped a shot into the cage, giving Rochester the 1-0 lead. The goal was Conomikes' seventh of the season, and her fifth in the last six games.
 
After the Yellowjacket goal, it was all Geneseo the rest of the period, earning six corners and four shots, three of which were on goal, the rest of the half.
 
Houston made three saves in the stretch and Rochester's back line of Abigal Mateer, Heppard, Kyla Byer and Molly Newbold were able to fight off the final four straight corners without a shot against to head into halftime with the lead.
 
In the third, UR notched the first good chance with an early penalty corner, again feeding Conomikes for the shot, but the attempt was saved away by Spitz in the Geneseo net.
 
The rest of the period only saw Geneseo take two shots and gain one penalty corner, but again Rochester was able to keep the Knights off the board.
 
Rochester was held without a shot entirety of the fourth quarter, but Houston made the final of her seven saves in the game and the rest of the shots sailed wide for the Knights, allowing the Yellowjackets to hold on for the one-goal win.
 
Houston's seven saves was one off her season-high, while shutout was her 20th career clean sheet, extending her school record that was set last week against RPI.
 
For Geneseo, Spitz made two saves, as the 'Jackets were limited to just five shots all game long, four off the stick of Conomikes. Geneseo ended with 15 total shot attempts and also led the corner battle, leading 13-3.
 
UR's win could prove big for potential NCAA selections later this month, as Geneseo entered Friday's game ranked #18 in the NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings, a metric used for postseason selection by the NCAA. Rochester was #31 entering the game, but that rank will surely improve after the victory.