POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The 2026 Liberty League Women's Soccer Championship Final will feature a pair of nationally ranked teams Sunday afternoon when #15 Vassar and #11 William Smith tussle in Geneva. Kick-off on Cozzens Field, the home of the Herons, is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with Live Stats and Video available for those unable to attend.
At A Glance
- Vassar advanced to Sunday's final following a scoreless draw with Union, getting past the Garnet Chargers 4-2 on penalty kicks.
- The Brewers hold a 10-1-5 overall record with the lone loss coming at William Smith on October 17.
- Vassar won its first-ever league title in 2025 with a 1-0 home win over RIT.
- Vassar Head Coach Madeline Buckley was a standout for William Smith as a student-athlete, captaining the Herons to the National Championship in 2013.
- Vassar (42) and William Smith (32) are ranked first and second in the conference in goals.
- The Brewers enter Sunday's contest first in the conference in goals allowed (5), with two coming against the Herons.
A Look At The Brewers
- Vassar features 15 different goal scorers to date in 2026 and four players who have potted at least four goals.
- Junior Alice Crowley (St. Louis, MO) leads the way in scoring with 22 points on the strength of nine goals and four assists.
- Senior Gianna Panarelli (Jensen Beach, FL) has assisted on a team-high six goals and ranks second on the team in both goals (7) and points (20).
- Sophomore Elena Valle (Rocky Hill, CT) has found the back of the net six times to date and is third on the team with 16 points.
- Caroline Sheehan (Springfield, IL) checks in with 10 points and joins Crowley and Valle in a tie for second on the team with four assists.
- Anna Arban (Temecula, CA) and Liv ivie (Agoura Hills, CA) have each scored three times and have totaled seven points.
- Ava Holman (St. Louis, MO) has seven points on the strength of two goals and three helpers.
- In goal, Laura Shea (Swarthmore, PA) has produced eight shutouts, including Friday's scoreless semifinal draw.
- Shea has turned aside 27 shots and is working to an .871 save percentage and a 0.28 goals against average.
Previewing William Smith
- The Herons are ranked #11 in the latest national poll and enter Sunday's contest at 14-3-0 following Friday's 2-0 semifinal win over Ithaca.
- Grace Meltzer and Kristin Middaugh lead the way with seven goals apiece for the Herons.
- Meltzer adds a team-high five assists for a team best 19 points with Middaugh checking in with 16 points.
- Grace Sudbay has registered 10 points to date, scoring four times and helping on two other goals.
- Aleena Solano has nine points for William Smith, tallying three times and assisting on three goals.
- Antonia Goerke has started 16 games to date in goal for the Herons and produced six shutouts while making 56 saves. Goerke enters Sunday's contest with an .862 save percentage and a 0.62 goals against average.
Regular Season Result
- William Smith handed Vassar its only loss to date with a 2-1 victory in Geneva on October 17.
- Middaugh and Solano scored 28 seconds apart in the 18th minute to provide the Herons with all the scoring they would need.
- Valle scored the Brewers' goal in the 30th minute.
- Shea made a pair of saves for the Brewers in goal.
- Goerke turned aside seven Vassar shots in the win.
- Vassar outshot William Smith 19-11 and took seven of the eight corner kicks in the contest.
Recent History vs. William Smith
- Vassar's only win against the Herons since the start of the 2000 season came in a 1-0 road victory on October 20, 2018.
- The Brewers are 0-3-3 in the last six matchups with William Smith.
- The Brewers and Herons met in the 2024 Liberty League Semifinal Round with the Herons scoring a 2-0 victory.
Recent Liberty League Championship History
- Vassar will defend its 2025 Liberty League title Sunday afternoon.
- The Brewers will make their fifth appearance in the Liberty League Championship Final, playing for the league crown in 2010, 2017, 2019, 2025 and now 2026.
What's At Stake
- Vassar is looking for its second straight conference crown.
- William Smith is in search of its first title since 2023 and its 13th since 2009.