GENEVA, N.Y. --The fourth-ranked William Smith College lacrosse team (7-1) overpowered Colorado College (4-5) 16-5 in the final game of the Heron Draw for their second win of the weekend. In the early game Millersville University (6-2) also completed its perfect weekend with an 18-9 victory over Denison University (2-4).
In the afternoon game, first-year attacker Gretchen Lasda (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) gave the Herons a 1-0 lead just a minute and 34 seconds into the contest, finishing a pass from sophomore attacker Megan Shea (Mountain Lakes/Mountain Lakes, N.J.). After a goal from senior attacker Meghan Genovese (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.) put William Smith up 2-0, Niki Thomas (Warner, N.H.) got the Tigers on the board with 26:32 to go in the half. Sophomore midfielder Jackie Toner (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.) answered with two straight goals to make it a 4-1 Heron lead. Erin Simons (Wilmette, Ill.) got Colorado back within two goals at the 16:14 mark, but the Tigers got no closer. William Smith finished the half on a 7-1 run, led by three goals from first-year midfielder Brighde Dougherty (Manasquan/Sea Girt, N.J.), for an 11-3 halftime lead.
In the second half, Shea scored three of the Herons five goals as William Smith went on to the 16-5 victory. Shea led all scorers with three goals and two assists. Toner and Dougherty each scored three times for the Herons, while Genovese and senior midfielder Jennifer Faith (Spring-Ford/Schwenksville, Pa.) each finished with two goals. Thomas led Colorado with her second straight three-goal day. Simons had a goal and an assist for the Tigers. In goal, first-year Rebecca Splain (Middlebury Union/Middlebury, Vt.) made eight saves for William Smith and Cindy Yi (Colorado Springs, Colo.) stopped 13 shots for Colorado.
In the early game, Denison jumped out to a quick 2-1 lead on goals by Amy Hemmelgarn (Thomas Worthington/Worthington, Ohio) and Lea Diston (Germantown Academy/Ambler, Pa.). Millersville's Kim Pace (Springfield/Springfield, Pa.) tied the game at 23:55 of the first half, with the first of four consecutive Marauder goals. Trailing 5-2, Hemmelgarn struck again, getting Denison within two, but the Big Red never regained the lead. Millersville scored the last seven goals of the half, for an 11-3 halftime advantage.
Lauren Krutsch (Pennridge/Perkasie, Pa.) opened the second half scoring with a goal at 25:46, extending the Marauder lead to nine. Denison's Laura Peace (St. Paul's School for Girls/Lutherville, Md.) scored the next two goals to cut the lead to 12-5, but with 16:57 left to play, Nikki Matuszewski (Coatesville/Narvon, Pa.) capped her five-goal day and ended any remaining Big Red threat, putting Millersville up 13-5. The Marauders scored six of the contest's final 10 goals for the 18-9 victory.
Matuszewski was the game's top scorer with five goals and Pace and Margaret Kelly (Boyertown/Barto, Pa.) each recorded two goals and two assists for Millersville. Denison was led by a three-goal, one-assist performance from Hemmelgarn and three goals from Peace. Kelly McMahon Upper Morland/Millow Grove, Pa.) and Liz Rishel (Owen J. Roberts/Pottstown, Pa.) split time in goal for the Marauders, each making four saves. Abbe Stewart (Worthington Kilbourne/Columbus, Ohio) finished with six saves for the Big Red.
William Smith returns to action April 10, at 4 p.m., when the Herons travel to Ithaca College.
--HWS SPORTS--
