GENEVA, NY -- In its first-ever conference championship, the No. 24 RIT women's soccer team (12-4-3) dropped a hard-fought Liberty League Championship game 1-0 at No. 3 William Smith (17-1-0) on a chilly Saturday afternoon at Cozzens Field on the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

"I am so proud of this team," said RIT head coach #Liz Masterson#. "It's tough to play the No. 3 team in the country twice in a week. We came out and put pressure on them and had our chances, but just couldn't break through."

Caitlyn Mitchell scored the game's lone goal in the 40th minute off an assist from MacKenzie Smith. It is the seventh consecutive conference title for the Herons, who earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Shots were 19-4 in favor of William Smith, while RIT had the edge in corner kicks, 4-3. #Amanda Murray (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls)# took the loss in net for the Tigers, making seven saves, and Chelsea Dunay picked up the win for the Herons, making two saves.

RIT came out ready to go in the opening moments of the first half, putting the William Smith defense under tremendous pressure.

#Gwen Neuhaus (Woodbridge, VA/Potomac) sent a service into the Herons penalty area in the sixth minute that (Sammamish, WA/Eastlake)Quincey Ornellas (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark)# got a head on. The shot was headed for the top of the net, but Dunay was able to tip the ball over the cross bar at the last second.

The Herons' had a good chance in the 14th minute when Krista Longo got free and fired a shot that Murray saw and was able to smother, keeping it a scoreless game.

In the 40th minute, William Smith finally broke through, scoring off a corner kick. Smith sent an in-swinger in from the right side that Mitchell ran onto and flicked a header into the far corner for a 1-0 William Smith lead.

After halftime, the Tigers had good pressure early in the half, but again, the Herons defense kept RIT off the scoreboard.

Murray, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, made five key saves in the second half to keep the lead at a goal for William Smith.

She made a great save in the 76th minute when Evie Manning fired a shot that Murray elevated for and knocked off the cross bar and was able to grab the rebound. With a little over three minutes to play in the second half, Murray once again made a great play, coming off her line to intercept a service before Kara Shue could get a shot off.

The Tigers had a good chance late in the second half when #Shelby Vakiener (Fairport, NY/Fairport)# got free on the flank sending a service into the Herons penalty area. The ball rolled around loose inside the box, but the Tigers could never get a shot on net.

RIT awaits a possible at-large berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. The selection show will take place Monday, November 11 at 1:30 p.m. Click HERE for the link to the selection show.

All-Tournament Team
Dineo Mmutla, William Smith (MVP)
#Caitlyn Daly (Glendora, CA/St. Lucy's Priory)#, RIT
Amanda Murray (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls), RIT
#Jamie Martinez (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel)#, RIT
#Ehlana Gray (Sewickley, PA/Avonworth)#, RIT
#Kiana Richards (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake)#, RIT
Chelsea Dunay, William Smith
Caitlyn Mitchell, William Smith
MacKenzie Smith, William Smith
Brenna Kincaird, William Smith
Olivia Zitoli, William Smith