GENEVA, N.Y.- The 19th-ranked William Smith College field hockey team was edged by top-ranked Messiah 4-1 on McCooey Field this afternoon.
 
The Herons (12-5) had the game's first scoring opportunity in the third minute. Junior Hannah Wood broke into the offensive zone, dodged around a defender, and fired a shot that just missed the left post. The Falcons (16-1) were also robbed on their first opportunity of the game. Carissa Gehmen fired a shot from just inside of the 16-yard arc that William Smith goalie Biz Chirco kicked aside with her right leg pad.
 
Messiah finally broke through in the 13th minute, when Kaylor Rosenberry tallied her first goal of the season. She fired a shot from just inside the right post that deflected off a stick in front of the net and into the cage.
 
The Herons nearly tied the game up two minutes later when Wood lifted a shot over a sprawling Shelby Landers. As the ball trickled towards the goal line, Sara Brooks swiped the ball out of danger for the defensive save.
 
The Falcons took a 2-0 lead when Rosenberry notched her second goal of the game on a shot from the right side of the attacking arc.  Nicole Wilkerson was credited with an assist on the penalty corner goal. It was Messiah's second penalty corner goal in as many attempts.
 
The Herons drew within one when Wood pocketed her 23rd goal of the season on William Smith's first penalty corner of the game. Junior Maura Moran inserted the corner to senior Cydney Conley at the top of the arc. Wood wound up and blasted a shot past Landers and into the back of the cage.
 
Less than 90 seconds later, Moriah Pfautz scored to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead. She collected a pass from Kristin Donohue just inside the attacking zone, turned around, and fired home the shot. The goal was Pfautz's 15th of the season.
 
Wood almost added a second goal in the 60th minute. She fired one of her patented shots from the top of the arc after a penalty corner but the shot was blocked by Sara Brooks.
 
Taylor Holt closed out the scoring when she picked up a rebound behind Chirco and fired a shot into the empty cage.
 
Chirco played all 70 minutes in the William Smith goal, making eight saves on the contest. She had several spectacular saves late in the second half to keep the Herons in the game. Landers made three saves in the Messiah goal.
 
William Smith has completed its regular season. The Herons will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 2, when they host Rochester in the semifinals of the Liberty League Tournament.