Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.—Junior Kiersten Hamilton recorded a career-high six points to lead the William Smith field hockey team to a 5-0 victory over Elmira under the lights of McCooey Field tonight. She assisted on the Herons' first two goals and scored two of the final three.

William Smith (3-0) controlled the tempo of the first half, outshooting the visitors 11-4, but the first 35 minutes of the match belonged to the starting goalies. The Soaring Eagles' first-year Lauren Thomas turned back all four shots on goal, while Heron senior Chelsea Snyder stopped all three offerings she faced.

In the 39th minute, William Smith finally broke through. Hamilton fed first-year Taylor Cappello near the right post. She took one touch toward the middle of the field and scored from 2 yards out. Eight minutes later, the Herons beat Elmira (0-1) in transition. Hamilton made a diagonal pass to Cappello on the right side of the cage. With Thomas caught out of position by Hamilton, Cappello buried her shot on a wide-open cage. It was the third goal of the season for the reigning Liberty League Rookie of the Week.

Just over a minute later, Hamilton caught a rebound off the pads of Thomas and scored from the right slot for a 3-0 lead. Fifty-two minutes into the match, sophomore Megan Moll struck the ball from 25 yards out, the ball glanced off senior Tempe Newson's stick and went into the cage. The ball was originally ruled untouched in the circle, negating the goal, but after a brief conference between the officials, Newson was credited with the goal, her third of the season.

Hamilton closed out the scoring in the 67th minute, firing home a rebound off a defensive save by Elmira junior Delaney Evans. First-year Shannon Nelligan also recorded a defensive save for the Soaring Eagles.

In goal, Snyder played just short of 51 minutes, finishing with three saves and the victory, while sophomore Taryn Little did not face a shot in relief. Thomas posted seven saves (4 GA) in 52 minutes of work, while first-year Riannon Crocker posted seven stops (1 GA) over the final 18 minutes.

William Smith will be back in action on Sept. 11, when the Herons host Oneonta State at 2 p.m.