Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—The ninth-ranked William Smith College field hockey team opened the 2007 season with a 4-0 win over SUNY Geneseo. The Herons were led by the three-assist performance of junior Charlotte Styer (Governor Mifflin/Mohnton, Pa.).

William Smith completely dominated the contest, outshooting their guests 26-1 and taking 22 penalty corners to the Blue Knights’ one. Meeting for the 10th consecutive season, the Herons dispatched the Knights for the 10th straight time. Over the past decade, William Smith has outscored Geneseo 35-5 with six shutouts.

The Herons (1-0) needed just over two minutes to open the scoring. On the team’s first penalty corner, Geneseo managed to break up the initial attempt to score, but sophomore Janelle Walkley (Tioga/Tioga Center, N.Y.) sent a long shot from the left side that found its way to the back of the cage.

The first goal of the season was set up by Styer. Her three assists are just one shy of the team’s 19-year-old single game record set by Melissa Crowley ’91.

William Smith (1-0) continued to pepper Geneseo (0-1) with shots, but struggled to get those shots through traffic. The Herons clung to their 1-0 lead at halftime.

The Knights’ defense played well to start the second half. Sophomore goalie Emily O’Leary (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford, N.Y.) made four of her six saves in the first 20 minutes of the session and when she wasn’t able to make the stop, Haley Spangler (Williamsville South/Williamsville, N.Y.) had her back. The senior recorded three defensive saves, all on penalty corner shots by senior Brittney Paye (Clinton/Clinton, N.Y.).

William Smith finally got some breathing room in the 55th minute. On a penalty corner assisted by Walkley, sophomore Kaitlyn Hamilton (Harpursville/Harpursville, N.Y.) sent a flip shot arcing over the defense and into the cage. The goal seemed to take the wind out of the Geneseo sails. In the 61st and 65th minutes, Paye scored on penalty corners assisted on both by Styer and sophomore Kelsey Landahl (Pioneer/Delevan, N.Y.).

Junior Katie DeKraker (Staples/Westport, Conn.) earned the shutout with one save.

The Herons are back in action on Sept. 8, when they travel to Oswego. The contest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.