PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – For the second time in the last three days, the University of Rochester field hockey team secured a 3-0 victory over William Smith College at Edwin Fauver Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Tuesday's matchup was played with both teams' seasons on the line, as it was the first round of the Liberty League Tournament. Rochester (13-6) moves on to the semifinals at top-seeded Rensselaer on Friday afternoon, while William Smith sees its 2026 campaign come to an end with a 9-11 record.
URochester's
Hannah Mehta scored twice and senior
Grayson Honig capped the scoring in the final quarter, with first-year
Riley Leeser being clean in the goal, posting the Yellowjackets fourth straight shutout.
The opening quarter saw the visiting Herons control most of the play in their offensive end and earned the only two shots in the period. Following the opening corner of the game in the fourth minute, Mia Batchelder had a shot blocked away by the URochester defense.
A few minutes later, William Smith's Eliza Freeland tried to stuff one through traffic in front, but Leeser made the save for the Yellowjackets, keeping the game scoreless.
Rochester was held without a shot or corner throughout the opening 15 minutes.
In the second, William Smith got a corner a minute in, leading to a solid chance by Ava Vecchione, but Leeser read the play well and came away with a big kick save on the attempt.
The Yellowjackets first shot of the game came in the 20th minute by
Erin Foley, with that opportunity sailing wide. Shortly after, the Yellowjackets earned their first corner of the contest that ended in Mehta's first tally.
On the corner,
Sophia Cuneo inserted to Mehta at the top of the circle. After swinging a pass to the left wing for
Kristina Fedorova, Mehta received a back pass and ripped an 8-yard blast from the right side through the 5-hole of William Smith keeper Olivia Terranova and into the cage.
Later in the period, Abigail Mantione tried her hand at a backhand shot from the right side of the circle, but Leeser had another clean look and made the save.
Shifting to the second half, the Yellowjackets dominated the third quarter, holding William Smith without a shot or corner.
URochester's second goal was a highlight reel play by Mehta in the 39th minute. The junior gained possession after a foul just outside the circle and weaved her way through the defense, chipped the ball over the stick of another defender and launched a backhand shot that found the top of the cage.
Mehta's two scores extend her team lead on the season, with the junior now sitting on 14 goals, matching her career high from 2024.
The Yellowjackets got a key insurance tally early in the fourth quarter, this time it was Honig getting in on the action, with Mehta contributing an assist on the play.
Off a corner, Mehta juked out a defender at the top of the circle to find open space and sent a shot towards the cage. Honig was camped in front and deflected the knee-high ball down and into the goal, notching her third tally of the season.
Later on, Foley tried to tack on another score with a pair of shots on frame in the 54th minute, but Terranova came up with back-to-back saves.
Two late William Smith shot attempts missed the mark, leading to the 3-0 final score.
Overall, the Yellowjackets held a slim advantage in shots, leading eight to seven. Corners were deadlocked at four apiece. Both Leeser and Terranova finished with three saves.
