Box Score SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—The 14th-ranked William Smith lacrosse team got off to a fast start this afternoon, but ninth-ranked Union came roaring back to secure an 11-5 Liberty League victory this afternoon.

The Dutchwomen (13-2, 8-0) opened the day's scoring, but the Herons (11-3, 6-2) countered with three straight tallies. First-year Lucy Johnson got William Smith on the board, finishing a feed from junior Sarah Goodkind. Sixty-seven seconds later, junior Brittany Callaghan gave the Herons the lead. Sophomore Cassie Findlay made it a two-goal game with 14:31 remaining in the first half.

William Smith maintained its 3-1 lead for more than 10 minutes, but Union sophomore attacker Kristin Joyce (6g, 3a) took over in the final 4:02 of the half. The Liberty League's scoring leader had a hand in each of the game's next five goals, scoring three and setting up two more, to send the Dutchwomen into the break with a 6-3 lead.

The defenses ruled the first nine minutes of the second half until Joyce asserted herself again. She assisted on junior midfielder Keelin Skurek's goal with 20:15 remaining, collected the ensuing draw and scored a goal of her own 10 seconds later and ballooned the Union lead to 9-3 with another score at 16:57. Fifty seconds later, junior midfielder Allie Cuozzo completed a 9-0 Union run, putting the home team firmly in control.

Johnson ended William Smith's scoring drought with 7:20 left in the game. The Herons went 37:11 between goals. Junior Molly Fitzgerald assisted on the tally for her only point of the day. First-year Rosie Scheibel scored 85 seconds later, assisted by sophomore Alayna Beebe to make it a 10-5 game.

Joyce squashed any thoughts of a comeback with the afternoon's final goal with just 2:01 remaining.

Senior goalie Becky Josefiak made eight saves under trying circumstances. Many of the Dutchwomen's goals came on point-blank shots that she had little chance of stopping. Sophomore Cat Ruggiero made six stops for Union.

Union had a decisive advantage in shots (29-17), ground balls (34-28), and draws (13-5).

With the win, the Dutchwomen secured the top seed in the Liberty League Tournament. William Smith will be the third seed and square off with No. 2 Hamilton at Union on May 1.