CLEARWATER, FLORIDA--William Smith College lacrosse team posted its second straight win in Clearwater, Florida, today, holding off a late run by Denison for a 17-15 non-league victory. Sophomore Alexandra Bird notched five first half-goals to lead the Herons.
 
William Smith improves to 2-3 overall, while the Big Red falls to 2-2 this year. Junior Hannah Connolly chipped in four goals for the Herons and added an assist. Bird also added an assist for a game-high seven points. Junior Emy Stratton and first-year Ella Calder each produced two goals and an assist. First-year Alexandria Burns added two goals. Sophomore Jackie Rodgers posted a team-high four caused turnovers and three ground balls. Junior Geneva Calder also picked up three ground balls. She caused two turnovers and added an assist. First-year Melissa Moore won a team-high four draws and scooped up two ground balls. Sophomore goalie Sarah Honan played all 60 minutes and made nine saves.
 
Claire Ludlow led Denison with five points on four goals and an assist. Carol Allen also notched four goals. Leah Israel and Claudi Rafi registered two goals and an assist apiece. Reid Hirschey logged two goals. Whitney Powel won a team-high four draws and picked up a team-high three ground balls, while Melissa Weinsz logged three caused turnovers. Laura Van Horn played all 60 minutes and finished with 13 saves.
 
The Big Red got on the scoreboard first for what proved to be their only lead of the game on a goal by Reid Hirschey 2:23 in. Thirty-three seconds later Bird answered for the Herons with a free position goal and then she scored again 3:25 later, this time off an assist from Stratton, to give William Smith a 2-1 advantage. With 21:35 on the clock, Ludlow tied things up for Denison at 2-2, but back-to-back goals by Burns gave the Herons a 4-2 advantage. With 17:57 before the break, Rafi scored on a free position, but Bird answered with a free position goal for William Smith to make it 6-4 with 8:35 left in the first. With 7:10 on the clock, Foote drove to the goal and scored to extend the Herons' lead to three. Israel fed Becca Jones for a Big Red goal at 6:53. William Smith got free position goals from Ella Calder and Connolly to take a 9-5 lead at halftime. It was Calder's first collegiate goal.
 
At 2:43 into the second, Connolly scored on a low shot off a pass from first-year Sarah Benyo. Denison got back-to-back goals from Allen and Israel to cut their deficit to three at 10-7. William Smith responded with a four-goal run over the next 1:17 to stretch the Heron lead to seven at 14-7. Foote started the run with a free position goal and Stratton capitalized on a feed from Connolly. Then Connolly added a goal of her own, followed by Ella Calder's second goal of the game off a pass from her sister Geneva Calder. The Big Red would not go away quietly, putting together the next three goals to get within four. The Herons strung together the next three goals with Connolly scoring twice and Stratton finding the back of the net, to give William Smith a 17-10 advantage, matching its largest lead of the game. In a final comeback attempt, Denison scored five straight goals, but the Heron defense held off the Big Red to clinch the victory.
 
William Smith finished with a 40-33 advantage in shots, a 16-10 edge in ground balls, and an 18-15 lead in draws. The Herons were successful on 14-of-16 clear attempts, while the Big Red finished 13-of-19 attempts.
 
William Smith will be back in action on Tuesday, March 24, when it travels to play a non-league game at Brockport at 4 p.m.