No. 11 William Smith scored twice in a 36-second span in the first half and defeated Ithaca 3-0 Friday at Cozzens Field in Geneva to advance to the Liberty League women’s soccer championship game.
The Herons won their 10th straight game and improved to 14-3, according to Hobart and William Smith Athletics. They will host No. 15 Vassar at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, with the league title at stake.
Two quick goals put Herons in control
William Smith dominated the first half, outshooting Ithaca 15-0. Kristin Middaugh forced an early diving save from goalkeeper Katrina Varnum, and Brynn Schneider had a shot blocked in the 14th minute.
Schneider broke through at 16:00, heading in Aleena Solano’s free kick from near the six-yard box. It was her second goal of the season.
Middaugh doubled the lead at 16:36, chipping a rebound past Varnum after the goalkeeper stopped Grace Metzler’s initial shot. Middaugh’s seventh goal of the season gave Metzler an assist and extended her point streak to nine games.
Metzler threatened again in the 23rd minute, but Varnum smothered her shot. William Smith carried its 2-0 lead into halftime.
Metzler finishes the scoring late
Ithaca did not take its first shot until the 68th minute, when Ellie Scivetti sent an attempt over the crossbar.
The Herons added their third goal at 84:37. After an Ithaca defender cleared Addison Stockwin’s shot off the goal line, Middaugh intercepted the clearance at the top of the penalty area. Her cross to the back post found Metzler, who headed in her seventh goal of the season.
Middaugh and Metzler each finished with a goal and an assist. Antonia Goerke played all 90 minutes in goal and made one save for the shutout. Varnum made five saves over 90 minutes for Ithaca, which finished the game at 9-5-4.
William Smith held a 17-3 advantage in shots and a 9-1 edge in shots on goal. The Herons earned six corner kicks to Ithaca’s three.
“We came out, and we were lights out,” head coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “We really executed the game plan and were really focused on the in-between moments, and we stifled them whenever they had a chance to get the ball.”
Burnett-Kurie said Ithaca’s second-half press presented different problems, giving the Herons a learning opportunity ahead of Sunday’s championship matchup.
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