PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The ninth-ranked William Smith College field hockey team knocked off Nazareth 6-2 in non-conference action this afternoon. The Herons used four second half goals to pull away from the Golden Flyers.
 
Senior Alessandra Patrizio and Junior Hannah Wood each recorded five points to lead all players in scoring. Junior Maura Moran tallied a goal and an assist to finish the game with three points.
 
The Herons (4-1) opened the scoring in the 12th minute when senior Jessica Borbee notched her first goal of the season off a penalty corner. Moran, the inserter, was credited with her team-leading fourth assist of the season. Just over five minutes later, William Smith doubled its lead when Patrizio scored her first goal of the game. Wood fired a cross cage shot that beat the Nazareth goalie but was headed wide, Patrizio reached out her stick, and tipped the ball over the goal line.
 
The Herons dominated the stat sheet in the first half outshooting the Golden Flyers 27-4. Goalie Kimber Nourse played superbly for Nazareth (1-4), making 18 saves in the first half.
 
William Smith picked up right where it left off out of the break, scoring two minutes into half. Patrizio scooped up a loose ball, dribbled into the 16-yard arc and blasted her seventh goal of the season past Nourse.  The goal was unassisted. Moran added a goal in the 38th minute, collecting a rebound right in front, and sliding a shot across the goal line.
 
Wood scored the Heron's final two goals. In the 42nd minute, she collected a pass from Patrizio and deposited a shot in the back of the net. Six minutes later she scored on a spectacular individual effort. She carried the ball into the attacking arc, dribbled to the right post, and slapped a shot past Nourse. 
 
Patrizio and Wood share the team lead with seven goals and 16 points. 
 
The Golden Flyers broke the shutout, when Emily Prescott notched her first goal of the season.  Just under four minutes later Meg Beiter scored to make it 6-2.
 
Senior Biz Chirco got the start in the William Smith goal and made two stops in 40:21 of action. Senior Amy Feda played 15:30 and did not face a shot. Junior Emily King played the final 14:09 in the Herons' goal and made three saves. Nourse played all 70 minutes for Nazareth and made a career-high 22 saves.
William Smith dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the Golden Flyers 40-9 and earning 15 penalty corners to Nazareth's four.
 
The Herons will return to McCooey Field this weekend, Sept. 17-18, when they host the 2016 William Smith Classic. William Smith will play Manhattanville at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and Lebanon Valley at 2 p.m. on Sunday.