Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College field hockey team cruised to a 5-0 victory over Manhattanville College in the opening game of the 2003 William Smith Invitational. In the afternoon’s second game, Susquehanna University held off a second half charge by St. Lawrence University for a 2-1 win.
WILLIAM SMITH 5, MANHATTANVILLE 0
In the opener, the 18th-ranked Herons (2-2) posted their second shutout of the season, a combined effort by senior Jessica Kulesa (Garden City/Garden City, N.Y.) and sophomore Susan Jordan (Boothbay/Boothbay, Maine). Kulesa made four saves in 54 minutes, while Jordan did not face a shot down the homestretch.
Offensively, sophomore Lauren Fuller (Shaker/Loudonville, N.Y.) provided all of the offense William Smith would need, when she drove home a penalty corner, assisted by sophomores Amy Kuzio (Clinton/Clinton, N.Y.) and Tara Baker (Rome Free Academy/Lee Center, N.Y.), 13:50 into the contest. First-year Sophie Dennis (Dana L. West/Port Byron, N.Y.) added an insurance goal less than a minute later to give the Herons a two-goal advantage at the break.
Baker opened the second half scoring with her second marker of the season, followed a short time later by Dennis’ second tally. First-year Minnie Muzquiz (Fayetteville-Manlius/Syracuse, N.Y.) closed out the afternoon’s scoring with her first collegiate goal.
Junior April Yeomans (Lindhurst/Lindhurst, N.Y.) turned away nine shots for the Valiants (1-3).
SUSQUEHANNA 2, ST. LAWRENCE 1
The 20th-ranked Crusaders (3-2) charged out to a 2-0 halftime lead, and held off a furious comeback attempt by the Saints (2-2) for a 2-1 victory.
Senior Ashlee Kraft (Susquehannock/New Freedom, Pa.) gave Susquehanna the early lead, knocking back a rebound for his second goal of the season at the 7:26 mark. The Crusaders staked a 2-0 lead at the 23:49 mark behind first-year Jenni Iacovone’s (Woodstown/Woodstown, N.J.) first goal of the season.
The Crusaders led 2-0 and held an 8-0 advantage on shots at the break.
In the second halt, St. Lawrence came alive. The Saints halved their deficit in the 45th minute on a penalty corner goal by sophomore Abigail Copeland (Shenendehowa/Rexford, N.Y.), assisted by sophomore Liz Allison (Johnsburg/North Creek, N.Y.) and graduate student Nicola Reid (St. Andrews/Kingston, Jamaica).
While St. Lawrence outshot Susquehanna 8-5 in the second stanza, the Saints could not solve first-year goalie Shannon Baker (Dover/Dover, Pa.) a second time. Baker finished with four saves, as did St. Lawrence senior goalie Amelia Gomez (Millbrook/Poughkeepsie, N.Y.).
Manhattanville and St. Lawrence will square off at 11 a.m., tomorrow in the second round of the Invitational, with William Smith and Susquehanna tangling in the finale at 2 p.m.
—HWS SPORTS—
