GENEVA, NY - No. 4 seed Union (15-2, 6-2 Liberty League) will travel to No. 2 seed William Smith (12-2-3, 7-1 Liberty League) on Saturday afternoon seeking its first Liberty League title since 2006. The Dutchwomen will be making their first appearance in the Liberty League Championship game since Nov. 4, 2009, when Union lost 2-0 at William Smith.
» Mansfield Among The League's Best Strikers
Senior forward Jennifer Mansfield, who scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win at RPI on Thursday, is in the midst of a stellar season up front for the Dutchwomen.
Mansfield, who leads the team with 26 points (11 goals, four assists), also is atop the Liberty League in goal-scoring and game-winning goals (6). With 11 goals on the year, Mansfield has a new career best for goals scored in a season.
» A Stingy Defense For the Dutchwomen in 2012
Under head coach Brian Speck, Union has consistantly been one of the toughest defensive teams in the Liberty League and 2012 is no different. The Dutchwomen entered the week second in the Liberty League in goals against average (0.56), and now have 10 shutouts, while allowing just nine goals on the season.
Union is No. 32 in the nation in scoring defense and No. 37 in the country in shutout percentage (.563). In fact, Union has allowed one goal or fewer in all but one contest this season.
» The Last Meeting
On Oct. 13 Union College fell 1-0 against William Smith in a hard fought Liberty League contest at College Park. The visiting Herons broke a scoreless tie midway through the second half as a William Smith substitution quickly made an impact in the contest. Just two minutes after entering the game in the second half, Alexis Koral took a cross from Emma Bracken and beat Union goalkeeper Kayla Marti (seven saves) with a low shot at 69:28 to give the Herons a 1-0 lead.
Union's best chance for an equalizing goal came when senior forward Jennifer Mansfield cut into the box behind the defense from the right wing, but her long shot was stopped by William Smith goalkeeper Chelsea Dunay (three saves) in the 82nd minute. William Smith outshot Union 13-9 in the contest, but the Dutchwomen had a number of quality scoring chances from the beginning of the contest.
Union had its best chance of the first half in the closing minutes of the frame, as Jennifer Mansfield fired a shot towards the upper right corner of the net from 18 yards from inside the box, forcing Dunay to make a leaping save in the 44th minute.
» The Union-William Smith Series
Today's game will mark the 26th meeting in the series between Union and William Smith in women's soccer. Union owns a record of 8-15-2 all-time against the Herons. Union has lost the last seven meetings against William Smith since winning the 2006 Liberty League Title game against the Herons, 2-1, on Nov. 4, 2006.
» Marti In the Midst of Stellar Season in Net
Senior goalkeeper Kayla Marti, in her first season as the full-time starter, has been outstanding in net for Union. Marti is 15-2 with a 0.49 goals-against average and a Liberty League leading .897 save percentage. She has recorded eight shutouts on the season.
» Speck Leads Union To Another Double-Digit Win Campaign
Union head coach Brian Speck, in his 18th season with the program, has led the Dutchwomen to 16 straight double-digit win campaigns, including the 2012 season.
At 15-2, Union has had its best season since the 2008 campaign, when the Dutchwomen finished 14-4-1 and last qualified for the NCAA Tournament. With an overall record of 242-61-19, Speck is the school's all-time winningest coach in women's soccer.
