Liberty League Semifinals Tonight: Union Host Vassar, Unbeaten RPI Face Rochester
Two semifinals, one night, and a first championship on the line for the hosts.
Union host Vassar at 4pm ET at Frank Bailey Field in Schenectady. Union finished 11-6 overall and 4-3 in the league, tied for second with Vassar and Rochester, but they took the tiebreaker because they beat both of them, per Union athletics. They beat Vassar 3-1 at home on 24 October, and they’ll be hoping home turf does the job again. Union have earned a top-two seed for a third straight season and they’re still chasing a first Liberty League championship. This is the night that chase either continues or ends.
The other semi is the one that looks lopsided on paper and dangerous in practice. Top seed RPI, 14-2 and 7-0 in the league, ranked 20th nationally, host Rochester at 4pm ET. RPI haven’t lost a league game all season. Rochester are 13-6 and 4-3 in the league, and they earned their place here by beating William Smith 3-0 on Tuesday in the first round. A side that has already won a knockout game this week is never a comfortable opponent, unbeaten or not.
The winners meet in Sunday’s championship game, played at the home of the highest remaining seed. RPI would host if they win. If Rochester pull off the upset, the final goes to the Union-Vassar winner’s ground.
Union against Vassar is the tight one: same league record, a 3-1 home win already banked, and everything to play for. RPI against Rochester is the test of whether a perfect league season survives its first real scare. Both start at 4pm. By tonight, we’ll know the final.
