GENEVA, N.Y. -- First-year Lauren Kelly (Cicero-North Syracuse/North Syracuse, N.Y.) fired home a career-high seven goals to give No. 11 SUNY Cortland a surprising 17-9 victory over fourth-ranked William Smith College in women's lacrosse action on Saturday. The Red Dragons (12-1) captured their 10th consecutive victory and snapped a 13-game losing streak to William Smith. First-years Megan Shea (Mountain Lakes/Mountain Lakes, N.J.) and Jackie Toner (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.) each tallied four goals for the Herons (9-1), who suffered their first regular season loss since April 11, 1999.
Trailing 2-1 eight minutes into its regular season finale, Cortland got consecutive goals from Kelly, followed by single tallies from sophomores Suzie Gebhard (North Shore/Glen Head, N.Y.) and Jeanna Angotti (C.W. Baker/Baldwinsville, N.Y.) to take a 5-2 lead midway through the opening half. William Smith's Shea assisted on sophomore Gwen Parker's (Woodstock/Brownsville, Vt.) 28th goal of the season with 13:33 remaining in the first half to make it 5-3, but the Red Dragons deposited four of the final five goals to take a commanding 9-4 halftime advantage. Kelly totaled six goals, including Cortland's last three, in the initial 30 minutes.
In the second stanza, Cortland scored six of the first seven goals to claim its biggest lead, 15-5, with just under 15 minutes remaining.
Shea finished with four goals and one assist for the Herons, who had won 29 of 30 regular season games before today. Toner had a career-best four goals, and first-year Amanda Wynn (Loomis Chaffee/Aspen, Colo.) handed out a career-high three assists. Seniors Danae Nason-Junco (BB&N/Boston, Mass.) and Rebecca Armiger (Centennial/Baltimore, Md.) each added one assist, and classmate Leslie Khachadourian (Guilderland/Albany, N.Y.) recorded eight saves in goal.
For Cortland, Angotti and Gebhard both totaled three goals, while senior netminder Tara VanValkenburgh (Columbia/East Greenbush, N.Y.) made 12 saves. Sophomore Brooke VandeWalker (Cicero-North Syracuse/Liverpool, N.Y.) delivered two goals and two assists, and junior Carly Peters (Penfield/Penfield, N.Y.) distributed three assists.
The Herons return to action on Thurs., April 27, when they travel to the University of Rochester at 4 p.m.
Scoring 1 2 Final
#11 SUNY Cortland (12-1) 9 8 17
#4 William Smith (9-1) 4 5 9
Individual Scoring (goals-assists): Cortland - Lauren Kelly 7-0, Brooke VandeWalker 2-2, Jeanna Angotti 3-0, Suzie Gebhard 3-0, Carly Peters 0-3, Jessica Carvel 1-0, Julie Gerhartz 1-0, Keri Laurenzo 0-1. William Smith - Megan Shea 4-1, Jackie Toner 4-0, Amanda Wynn 0-3, Gwen Parker 1-0, Rebecca Armiger 0-1, Danae Nason-Junco 0-1.
Saves: Cortland 12 (Tara VanValkenburgh). William Smith 8 (Leslie Khachadourian).
Shots: Cortland 31, William Smith 24.
Draw Controls: Cortland 16, William Smith 12.
Ground Balls: Cortland 25, William Smith 20.
-- HWS SPORTS --
