GENEVA, N.Y.—The Nazareth College women's lacrosse team scored with 20 seconds left in overtime to defeat William Smith College 12-11 in a non-league game played on Boswell Field this afternoon. The Herons battled back to tie the game up at 10-10 in the final two minutes of regulation, but the Golden Flyers earned the win in overtime.
 
The Herons fall to 0-2 with their second one-goal loss of the season. Today's rescheduled game, that was moved to Boswell Field due to poor field conditions in Pittsford, New York, was the season opener for the Golden Flyers.
 
Carly Gates, Haley DeVona and Brooke Sullivan each logged three goals for Nazareth. Sullivan added two assists for a game-high five points. Gates chipped in one assist for four points on the afternoon. Mackenzie Haley shared a game-high with four ground balls. Ashley Kirch played all 66 minutes in goal for the Golden Flyers and finished with eight saves.
 
Junior Emy Stratton, junior Geneva Calder, sophomore Alexandra Bird, junior Hannah Connolly and sophomore Allie Flaherty each notched two goals for William Smith. Connolly and Flaherty logged an assist each for a team-high three points. Bird won a game-high four draws and added three ground balls and two caused turnovers. Flaherty shared a game-high with four ground balls and caused two turnovers. Sophomore Sarah Honan played all 66 minutes between the pipes for the Herons and made seven saves, including three saves on Nazareth free position shots.
 
The Herons played a strong first half, building up a 7-3 lead. Flaherty struck first for William Smith on a free position in the first minute. Gates then evened the score for Nazareth with an unassisted tally. DeVona gave the Golden Flyers their only lead of the first half 8:41 in. William Smith then put together five straight goals to take a 7-2 lead. Stratton opened the run with her second goal of the season. Bird followed with her second tally this year. Calder found the back of the net for the first time this year and Stratton added her second goal of the afternoon off a feed from Connolly with 13:14 left in the first. Flaherty tallied her team-leading fifth goal of the year with 12:42 on the clock, and Calder struck again with 9:13 left before the break. Jamie Martin scored for Nazareth off an assist from Gates with 57 seconds left in the opening half to make it 7-3 at the break.
 
It was Nazareth who came out strong in the second half scoring the first four goals to tie the game at 7-7 and holding the Herons scoreless for the opening 10:30. Sullivan logged a goal and an assist in Nazareth's 4-0 opening run. William Smith first-year Molly Neureuter scored her first collegiate goal at 10:30 into the second to put William Smith back on top at 8-7. However, Sullivan responded 1:05 later with a free position goal to tie the game up at eight. Devona gave the Golden Flyers their second lead of the game with 15:38 left in regulation. Sullivan was awarded a free position attempt for Nazareth and dished to Devona on her right who sent home her shot. Under a minute later, Martin gave Nazareth a two-goal advantage. Connolly then notched back-to-back goals for William Smith to send the game to overtime. Her first came with 11:15 remaining and the game-tying goal came with just 41 seconds left in regulation.
 
Bird scored on a diving shot with 2:42 left in the six-minute overtime period to put the Herons ahead 11-10, but Gates tied things up again for Nazareth with 1:37 left in the extra period. DeVona scored what proved to be the game-winning goal for the Golden Flyers with just 20 seconds left on the clock.
 
William Smith held a 27-25 advantage in shots and a 19-18 edge in ground balls. The Herons also held a 17-10 lead in draws. William Smith was successful on 19-of-23 clear attempts, while the Golden Flyers finished 11-of-17 attempts.
 
The Herons will be back in action on Wednesday, March 11, when they host St. John Fisher for another non-league contest at 4:30 p.m. on Boswell Field.