Hamilton Trims Union, Earns Title Defense
from press releases
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Kaillie Briscoe '09 set up
Kate Marek '09 for the game-winning goal 2:49 into overtime as
Hamilton College upset Union College, 4-3, to win its third
straight Liberty League tournament title at Union's Frank Bailey
Field on May 2.
The Continentals, also defending NCAA Division III Champions, earn
their third straight automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with the
win. Second seed and nationally ranked No. 8 Hamilton (14-2)
avenged a 15-4 regular season loss to top seed and No. 6 Union
College (14-3) on April 24, also played at Union. This is the
fourth straight year that Union and Hamilton faced each other
in the Liberty League tournament title game. Hamilton has won the
last three and Union won in 2006.
Hamilton advanced to Saturday's title tilt with a 14-8 win over the
third seed Herons of William Smith College on Friday, May 1. Union
won the other semi-final against the fourth seed University of
Rochester, with a 16-7 win.
Hamilton dominated overtime with a 3-0 advantage in shots and in
ground balls. Briscoe's assist on the game-winner is her team-high
33rd of the year. Briscoe found Marek just outside the crease for
her 18th goal this season. Hamilton shut Union out of scoring
opporutnities to hang on for the win. The Dutchwomen had a
chance to tie in the final minute, but Marek caused a turnover
with 43 seconds left in the Union offensive zone, and her ground
ball with 36 seconds left sealed the victory.
The two teams battled out to a 2-2 first half. Briscoe and
tournament MVP Liz Rave '10 scored Hamilton's goals in the frame.
Rave scored six goals in two games, including two in the
championship game, to claim the honor.
Briscoe's unassisted tally was her 200th career goal and she is in
first place on the Continentals' all-time list in goals, assists,
and points. It came just 41 seconds into play for an early 1-0
advantage to open the scoring. Rave's goal came 52 seconds later
for the 2-0 lead and Sarah Bray '11 was credited with the assist.
Host Union notched the last two goals of the half to tie the score
going into the break.
Rave added her team-high 39th goal of the season to open the
scoring in the second half for a 3-2 Hamilton lead with 21:51 to
go. The Dutchwomen erased the deficit with another strike at
16:57.
Union held a slim 18-16 advantage in shots in the game, and a 22-18
advantage in ground balls. Kate Fowler '10 made nine saves in
regulation for Hamilton, including one as time expired to send the
game to an extra stanza. She made six total saves in the second
half and did not face a shot in overtime.
Bray and Liz Benjamin '09 led Hamilton with three ground balls
apiece. Benjamin also caused a team-high three turnovers.
Fowler, Briscoe, and Benjamin were named to the all-tournament
team. Fowler finished with 15 saves in the tournament and allowed
just 11 goals in two complete games. Briscoe had three goals and
two assists. Benjamin led the defense with six caused turnovers,
and also picked up four ground balls in the weekend's action.
Brackets for the 2009 NCAA Division III Tournament will be
announced on CBS College Sports Network on Sunday, May 3 between 10
and 11 p.m.
