ITHACA, N.Y. - The nationally ranked No. 22 Ithaca College field hockey team hosts Skidmore in the Liberty League Semifinals this Friday at Higgins Stadium at 4 p.m. If victorious, the Bombers will welcome the winner of Rochester and Union to South Hill on Sunday for the Liberty League Championship.

The winner of Sunday's game will earn the Liberty League's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Field Hockey Championship. The selections for the 26-team field will be announced at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday night.

GAME COVERAGE

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LIBERTY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: The Liberty League Field Hockey Championship is a five-team tournament. Skidmore defeated William Smith, 1-0, on Tuesday to set up the semifinal round on Friday. The other matchup on Friday is between No. 20 Rochester and Union.

Ithaca defeated Rochester (2-0) and Union (3-1) this season. Union defeated Rochester in double overtime, 3-2, while Skidmore lost to both teams in the regular season.

Ithaca, which has been the No. 1 seed in two other seasons, has never won a Liberty League title. Skidmore has won eight times, but not since 2008. Rochester has two championships - 2017 and 2019 - while Union has never won.

A LOOK AT....ITHACA: Ithaca brings a seven-game winning streak into this weekend's championship and is 13-5 on the season. Over the past seven contests, IC has posted four shutouts and has outscored its opponents, 21-3.

Natalie Descalso leads the team with 16 points on five goals and six assists and notched the game-winner in a penalty shootout against No. 17 Ursinus to conclude the regular season. Juliana Valli is tops on the team with six goals, while Meara Bury has 13 points on five goals and three assists. Catherine Papa has also scored five goals this season. Emma Garver has added eight points and four defensive saves.

Maeve Clark is 10-4 in goal this season and is coming off the best game of her career with 13 saves in the win over Ursinus. Clark was named the Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week. She has made 48 saves this season and owns a 0.85 GAA and .800 save percentage.

IC is 3-9 against the Thoroughbreds dating back to 2003, but the Bombers are coming off a 2-0 victory over Skidmore just two weeks ago. The Bombers have also won each of the past three meetings.

A LOOK AT.....SKIDMORE: Skidmore earned the final spot in the postseason tournament and made the most of it with a 1-0 win at William Smith. The Thoroughbreds are 9-11 this season and just snapped a four-game losing streak. CC Wetter is one of the top offensive threats in the league with 12 goals and four assists, while Colby Paul has contributed 22 points on 10 goals and two assists. Abby Ezickson is another player to watch with 13 points on five assists and four goals. Victoria Bodnar leads the Liberty League with 142 saves this season and has posted six shutouts. Bodnar has played nearly 1200 minutes in goal for Skidmore.