Union vs. Rochester - Liberty League Semifinals

Friday, November 8, 2024 • Schenectady, N.Y. • Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium • 4:00 PM

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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – For the first time in program history, the Union College field hockey team will host a game in the Liberty League Tournament as the second-seeded Garnet Chargers welcome third-seeded and NFHCA #20 University of Rochester to Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium for the Liberty League semifinals on Friday at 4 p.m.

THE TEAMS: Union (14-5, 6-1 Liberty League) is seeded second in the Liberty League Tournament and will face off with third-seeded Rochester (163, 5-2 Liberty League) in one semifinal. The other semifinal pits top-seeded and NFHCA #22 Ithaca College (13-5, 6-1 Liberty League) against fifth-seeded Skidmore College (9-11, 2-5 Liberty League), which knocked off fourth-seeded William Smith College by a 1-0 score in Tuesday's first round to advance to the semifinals.
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY: Union is making its seventh appearance in the Liberty League Tournament and second straight after going 13 years between postseason berths. The Garnet Chargers have never won a conference tournament game (0-6) and have lost their last 12 postseason contests overall, with the team's last taste of postseason success coming in 1988, when Union captured the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Tournament title and also went 2-1 at the NYSWCAA Championships on the way to a program-record 17 wins.
 
UNION VS. ROCHESTER: Union and Rochester have met 46 times in program history, with the Yellow Jackets holding a 26-19-1 edge in the all-time series. Union earned a 3-2 (2OT) win earlier this season in Schenectady to snap a 12-game losing streak to Rochester that dated back to 2011.
 
LAST MEETING: One of the reasons Union is the second seed and hosting the semifinal is because of its dramatic 3-2 (2OT) win over then-#18 Rochester on October 5. Senior Grace Goddard gave Union an early lead in the 14th minute and first-year Rowan Dapson's first collegiate goal put the home team ahead again in the 51st minute before the Yellow Jackets tied the game on a penalty stroke with 2:27 remaining. After playing shorthanded for more than 15 minutes of overtime due to yellow cards, first-year Maggie Monaghan scored the game-winner with 2:35 remaining in double overtime. Junior Sophie Brady made 10 saves as the Garnet Chargers fought off 18 penalty corners in the win.
 
ABOUT UNION: The Garnet Chargers finished the regular season with a 14-5 record and 6-1 conference mark, posting its highest Liberty League finish in program history and matching the second-most wins in a season overall. Four of the team's five losses have come against nationally ranked opposition and all five are to teams in the top-32 of the latest NPI rankings.
 
GOAL ORIENTED: Union leads the Liberty League in scoring for the second straight season and ranks 26th nationally by averaging 3.0 goals per game in 2024, having scored 57 goals in 19 games. The Garnet Chargers have scored at least two goals in 15 of their 19 contests this season and have had 13 different players score at least once. The team's 57 goals so far this season are tied with last season's squad for the third-most in a season in program history, behind the 2007 squad (59) and the 1978 team (58).
 
SENIOR CLASS SUCCESS: This year's senior class has been one of the most successful in program history. The team's 43 wins over the last four seasons make them the fifth-winningest class ever for Union field hockey, one back of the Class of 1988 that won 44 games for fourth place. The team's 36 wins over the last three years are tied for the second-best three-year stretch ever for the program, and with a win on Friday would match the 37 wins achieved from 2006-08.
 
CLIMBING THE RANKS: With (at least) one more season to go, several Garnet Chargers are near or atop program record lists. Junior Megan Dorsey became the school's all-time leader in assists earlier this season and has 22 in her first 48 games at Union. Classmate Sophie Brady ranks second in program history with 28 wins, two behind Jen Lyon '89 for tops on the all-time list, and her 1.84 goals against average currently ranks sixth-best at the school. After less than two full seasons, sophomore Maddie Greco already ranks sixth in career goals and seventh in points all-time at the school with 32 goals and six assists for 70 points in 38 games.
 
MADDIE THE MAGNIFICENT: After putting together one of the best rookie seasons in program history last year, sophomore Maddie Greco has come back even stronger as a sophomore. With two goals against Keene State on Saturday, she broke the school single-season records for goals and points with 19 goals and four assists for 42 points through 19 games. Nicole Merigliano '14 (40 points) held the school points record since 2013 and also matched the school scoring record of 18 goals first set by Jessica Trotter '07 in 2006.

LENDING A HAND: For the second straight season, junior Megan Dorsey leads Union and the Liberty League with eight assists this season to go with three goals for 14 points. The junior is tied for 32nd in Division III in assists at the end of the regular season.
 
BRADY'S BUNCH: Junior Sophie Brady has started 17 of the team's 19 games in goal this year and ranks second on the program single-season wins list with her 12 wins so far in 2024. Her .807 save percentage leads all Liberty League goalies and ranks 27th in Division III, while her 1.44 goals against average is third-best in the conference and top-50 nationally.
 
ABOUT THE YELLOW JACKETS: Rochester has been nationally ranked in every week of the 2024 season and finished the regular season with a 16-3 record and a 5-2 mark in conference play. After starting the season with eight straight wins, the team lost three of its next five to SUNY Cortland, Union and Ithaca, before closing the season with six straight victories. The offense is led by Grayson Honig and Hannah Mehta, who rank second and third in the conference in scoring, respectively, with 14 and 13 goals. Goalie Kara Houston ranks second in the Liberty League and 24th nationally with a 1.06 goals against average. As a team, Rochester ranks sixth in the country by averaging over 12 penalty corners per game and has had more corner opportunities than their opponents in 16-of-19 games this year.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Union-Rochester winner will advance to the Liberty League Tournament championship game on Sunday, hosted by the highest remaining seed.
 
2024 Liberty League Tournament
 
First Round – Tuesday, November 5, 2024
#5 Skidmore 1, #4 William Smith 0
 
Semifinal Round – Friday, November 8, 2024
#5 St. Lawrence/#4 Wiliam Smith at #1 Ithaca, TBA
#3 Rochester at #2 Union, 4 pm
 
Championship Game – Sunday, November 10, 2024
Semifinal Winners at highest remaining seed