GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hamilton College women's lacrosse team scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 11:20 left in the game to secure an 8-7 victory over host William Smith College in a non-league game played this evening on Boswell Field.
 
It was the season opener for the Herons. The Continentals improve to 2-0 this year. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Clinton, New York, but poor field conditions due to the winter weather forced the time and location to be changed this morning.
 
Sophomore Allie Flaherty led William Smith with a game-high three goals, notching the Herons' first three goals of the game. Senior Hayley Braun scooped up a game-high five ground balls. Junior Emy Stratton scored a goal and caused two turnovers. Sophomore goalie Sarah Honan played all 60 minutes for the Herons and made 10 saves.
 
Caroline McCarthy produced two goals for Hamilton and added two ground balls. Six other Continentals chipped in one goal apiece. Hannah Rubin played all 60 minutes in goal and recorded a team-high three ground balls. She also caused two turnovers.
 
At 4:27 into the first half, Madison Beres put Hamilton up 1-0 on a free position goal. Flaherty answered for the Herons just over two minutes later off a feed from first-year Melissa Moore. The Continentals then put together three straight goals to take a 4-1 lead with 12:11 remaining in the half. Flaherty struck again at 11:56, but once again Hamilton answered. This time it was Taylor Ryan's goal that made it 5-2 with 7:08 left before the break. With 1:13 on the clock, Flaherty notched her third goal and with 21 seconds left in the first Stratton fired home a shot off an assist from junior Geneva Calder to cut the Heron deficit to one at 5-4 at halftime.
 
Junior Hannah Connolly opened the second half tying the game up at five 1:45 in. However, the teams traded goals for the remainder. Margaret Gabriel connected after a feed from Darby Philbrick to put Hamilton up 6-5. Then Heron sophomore Alexandra Bird tied the game up for a third time with a free position goal. The Continentals Jackie Cuddy's unassisted goal with 14:20 on the clock made it 7-6. William Smith first-year Alexandria Burns registered her first collegiate goal with 13:31 remaining to tie things up at 7-7, but that proved to be as close as the Herons could get. McCarthy logged the game's final goal with 11:20 remaining.
 
The Continentals held a 27-14 advantage in shots, a 17-11 advantage in ground balls and a 9-8 edge in draws. Hamilton was successful on 13-of-14 clear attempts, while the Herons were successful on 10-of-18 clear attempts.
 
The Herons will be back in action on Saturday, March 7, when they travel to play another non-league game at Nazareth at 3 p.m.