ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College field hockey team will compete in this weekend's Liberty League Championship on Friday and Sunday for a chance to earn an automatic bid the NCAA Division III Championship. Ithaca, which is 14-3 on the season, will open the semifinal round at home against William Smith College (14-4) on Friday, November 4 at 4 p.m. at Higgins Stadium.

The Liberty League expanded its field hockey championship to five teams this season. The top three seeds earned byes to the semifinals, while the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds played in a first round game on Tuesday – which resulted in a 2-0 win for Vassar College over Skidmore College.

The University of Rochester (15-4) is the top seed in the championship and will host Vassar in the other semifinal game on Friday. The highest remaining seed following Friday's action will host the championship contest on Sunday.

All four remaining teams in the Liberty League Championship are receiving votes in the most recent NFHCA Top 20 Poll.

Fans can follow the Ithaca/William Smith semifinal at Higgins Stadium via webcast and live stats.

LIBERTY LEAGUE HISTORY:

Since 2003, four different Liberty League affiliates have won the conference championship – Rochester, Skidmore, William Smith and Vassar.

Skidmore has eight titles – 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016
William Smith has won six times – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2015
Rochester has won twice – 2017, 2019
Vassar has two championships – 2018, 2021

Ithaca played in the 2021 title game against Vassar.  



INSIDE LOOK AT ITHACA AND WILLIAM SMITH:

Ithaca and William Smith have played 45 times dating back to 1977. The Herons lead the all-time series, 30-14-1, but the Bombers have won each of the past four meetings, including a 2-0 victory earlier this season on October 23.

IC won seven of the first nine contests with William Smith from 1997-91, but the Herons dominated the series from 1992 to 2017, winning 28-of-32 games.

POTENTIAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP:

IC split its season matchups with Vassar and Rochester this year. The Bombers topped Vassar, 1-0, at home on October 1 to even their all-time series with the Brewers at 3-3. Ithaca fell to UR, 1-0, in double overtime at Rochester on October 21 despite outshooting the Yellowjackets, 18-4. That all-time series now sits at 22-16 in favor of IC.

THE BOMBERS:

Ithaca has scored 46 goals in the season, which is third in the Liberty League. The Bombers match their offensive prowess with the stingiest defense in the Liberty League with just 13 goals allowed. IC has six shutouts on the season, including three in the past four games.

Ithaca boasts four prominent goal scorers on the team this season, which have accounted for 34 of the team's 46 goals. Morgan Mullen leads the way with 10 goals on the year, while Natalie Descalso has tallied nine goals, Jacqueline Mirabile has scored eight times and Elizabeth Pillow has seven goals on the season. This quartet has accounted for 10 of the team's 14 game-winning goals.

Descalso also leads the team with nine assists, while Mullen has five assists on the year and Avery Moses has dished out four assists.

Emma Garver (3) and Juliana Valli (2) have combined for five goals on the season, while seven other Bombers have found the back of the cage.

Ithaca also sports not only one of the best goalkeepers in the Liberty League, but in Division III field hockey in Macy Brandwein. In 17 starts this season, Brandwein owns a .841 save percentage and .66 goals-against average, both lead the Liberty League. She ranks sixth in the country in save percentage and eighth in GAA.

THE HERONS:

William Smith ranks second in the Liberty League with 55 goals scored on the year and third in goals allowed with 21. The Herons have won seven games by shutout.

Emily Leonard leads the Herons with 14 goals and 31 points on the season, while Sofia Pattillo is second with 10 goals. Rebecca Mantione ranks third with 21 goals on seven goals and seven assists. Mackenzie Wodka could also factor into the William Smith attack with six goals, as well as Lauren Jackson, Libby Maxwell and Molly Dutton, who have all tallied three goals.

Kristin McCormick has been the main keeper for William Smith this season, as she has started 16 games and is 12-3 on the year with a .717 save percentage and 1.11 GAA. McCormick has six shutouts to her credit in more than 920 minutes played. Brittany Foster could see time in cage as she is 2-1 in 165 minutes of action.