November 9, 2003

GENEVA, N.Y.—Senior midfielder Colleen Barber (Fort Ann/Fort Ann, N.Y.) drove home a perfectly placed shot on a penalty corner in the 98th minute of play to lift 10th-ranked Skidmore College to a 2-1 victory over 12th-ranked William Smith College in this afternoon’s Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Field Hockey Championship match. Barber scored both of the Thoroughbreds goals and was named to the All-Tournament team.

The host Herons, who were the tournament’s top seed after upsetting Skidmore 1-0 in overtime on Nov. 25, scored the game’s first goal early in the first half. Thoroughbred senior goalie Jenna Spackman (Newton North/West Newton, Mass.) came out to play a crossing pass and kicked it right to William Smith’s leading scorer, first-year forward Sophie Dennis (Dana L. West/Port Byron, N.Y.). Dennis one-timed the offering into the lower right corner at the 16:04 mark. The tally was her 17th of the season, breaking the 16-year-old, William Smith record for goals by a first-year established by 2003 Heron Hall of Honor inductee Melissa Crowley Price ’91.

William Smith (14-5) made the lead standup through overtime and deep into the second period, but as time wore on Skidmore (16-3) turned up the pressure. The Thoroughbreds outshot the Herons 7-2 in the second half, finally solving the William Smith defense on the seventh shot with 6:21 remaining. Senior Carrier Caunter (Warrensburg/Warrensburg, N.Y.) started the scoring sequence, slamming a shot into the post. The rebound came right to Barber, who slapped the bouncing ball home to force overtime.

In the first overtime period, Skidmore took all three of the stanza’s shots, missing wide twice, while senior goalie Jessica Kulesa (Garden City/Garden City, N.Y.) turned back the third. She finished with seven saves.

In the second extra session, it was William Smith’s turn to turn up the pressure. The Herons put five shots on goal, before the Thoroughbreds managed one, but Spackman was up to the task, carding five of her seven stops in the final period.

Barber recorded her 16th goal of the season at 97:16 with Caunter and first-year Erin Walters-Bugbee (Princeton/Princeton, N.J.) earning the assists.

“This was a really hard fought game between two evenly matched opponents,” William Smith Head Coach Sally Scatton said. “We put together an outstanding defensive effort, and Jess Kulesa played wonderfully in goal. Both teams are very good teams, and both teams deserve to keep playing.”

A scenario that is very likely to happen. By virtue of its fourth league title, Skidmore earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, while the Herons will wait for the NCAA to announce its brackets later this evening. If William Smith isn’t included in the 18-team field, the Herons are certain to be a high seed in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Tournament.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Colleen Barber, Skidmore; Carrie Caunter, Skidmore; Sophie Dennis, William Smith; Lea Desforges, William Smith; Andrea Flynn, Rensselaer; Jenny Heffler, St. Lawrence; Jessica Kulesa, William Smith; Annie Ledyard, Skidmore; Hallory Mogren, Skidmore; Nicola Reid, St. Lawrence; Sarah Salinger, Rensselaer

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