Box Score
Rochester, N.Y. – The University of Rochester edged Skidmore College in overtime, 3-2, in the semifinals of the Liberty League field hockey championships at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
The Thoroughbreds finish their season at 13-5. The Yellowjackets improve to 16-4 and advance to their first league championship where they will face top-seeded William Smith. It is the first time in the last six seasons that Skidmore will not be playing in the championship game.
Katie Flaschner scored two goals for Rochester and created the first when her shot led to a penalty stroke, scored by Allison Resnick.
Rochester goaltender Madison Wagner made 10 saves on 22 shots and Haley McDougall had 10 saves for Skidmore.
The Yellowjackets dominated the early going, earning 14 penalty corners and outshooting the Thoroughbreds, 15-6. Just over five minutes into the match, Sarah Dixon played the ball out to Flaschner on the wing. She lifted a shot towards the upper right hand corner. It got over McDougall, but a Skidmore defender touched the ball and a stroke was awarded. Resnick converted for a 1-0 lead at 5:13.
Skidmore drew level at 23:10. MacNeill inserted a penalty corner to DeGregory on the left side. She pushed it across the face of the goal and Skott was able to tip it in at the back post.
The Throughbreds stepped up the pressure in the second half. Ten minutes in, Rochester's Kathryn Montgomery made a defensive save on a shot by Pauline Searles. With 13:39 left, the visitors took the lead. DeGregory picked up a loose ball 30 yards from goal. She ran into the circle, moved to her right, and lined a shot between Wagner's legs and into the lower left corner of the cage.
Flaschner got the equalizer with 8:20 remaining and nearly scored the gamewinner 90 seconds later. After the Yellowjackets played a penalty corner outside the circle, the ball came to Michelle Relin. She pushed it into Gina Cunningham who sent a pass into the middle of the circle. Flaschner lunged and lifted the ball over McDougall's left shoulder into the right side of the cage.
On another Rochester penalty corner, Flaschner lifted a shot for the upper right hand corner but McDougall reacted at the last instant, getting her stick up to push it over the endline.
DeGregory and MacNeill were Skidmore's most effective attackers, combining for 11 shots, seven on goal. With 2:46 left, MacNeill got deep in the box and tried to shove the ball inside the right post, but Wagner kicked it away.
Skidmore earned 10 penalty corners in the overtime period, leading to nine shots but could not convert as Wagner produced five of her saves in this stretch.
Late in the overtime, the Yellowjackets rushed downfield. The ball was played around the circle and came into the middle where Flaschner dove for it and backhanded the ball from 12 yards out past McDougall and into the right corner of the cage for the victory.
