GENEVA, N.Y. – The William Smith College ice hockey team defeated UMass Boston 4-2 this evening at The Cooler. Sophomore Rebecca Begley recorded a game-high two goals to pace the Herons.

The two teams traded scoring opportunities in the first period but Maggie Salmon and Casey Schaejbe stood tall and kept the game scoreless after twenty minutes.

At 6:54 of the second period, Begley broke through with her first goal of the game to give the Herons (1-0-0) a 1-0 lead. Dori Craig threw a puck in front of the goal that Begley batted into the empty net. First-year Maura Mulligan was credited with an assist and her first collegiate point on the play. Twenty-two seconds later, Krista Federow took a puck down the left wing and lifted a shot over Schaejbe's right shoulder. Both goals came with the teams playing 4 on 4.

UMass Boston (0-1-0) got a goal back at the 8:03 mark. With the teams still playing four a side, Jane Morrisette scored her first of the season. Lizzy Aveson sent a pass to the front of the cage that Morrisette fired passed Salmon. Maren Brown was also credited with an assist on the Beacons' goal.

Begley notched her second goal of the game at 12:45 of the second period. First-year Egan Sachs-Hecht sent a pass to Begley at the point who fired a shot into the upper right corner of the net. Sophomore Catherine Linehan also was credited with an assist on the goal.  William Smith carried the two goal lead into the second intermission.

At 11:31 of the third period, Morrisette struck again for the Beacons. She collected a loose puck in the neutral zone and broke into the offensive zone. She wristed a shot from the right faceoff circle that Salmon originally stopped. Salmon could not control the rebound as Morrisette slipped the loose puck between her pads and into the goal.

Dori Craig collected her first goal of the season at the 13:54 mark of the period to give William Smith a 4-2 lead. She collected a pass from Morgan Bayreuther and fired a shot past Schaejbe. First-year Tess Madarasz notched her first collegiate point when she fed the initial pass to Bayreuther.

Salmon started in goal for the Herons and stopped 37 shots, notching her second straight victory dating back to last season. Schaejbe got the start between the pipes for UMass Boston and made 16 saves in 58:10 of action.

William Smith converted on its lone power play opportunity while the Beacons came away empty on their power play.

The Herons and Beacons will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at The Cooler. Faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.