The No. 19/8 William Smith College lacrosse team limited No. 18/13 Wesleyan to just one goal as they downed the Cardinals 8-1 in a non-league game played in Englewood, Fla., this morning. Senior Alexandra Bird led the Herons with four goals and senior goalie Sarah Honan matched her season-high with nine saves.
 
William Smith is now 4-1 overall, and the Cardinals are also 4-1, after suffering their first loss of the year. Coming into the game, the Cardinals were averaging 13.25 goals per game. It's the fist time the Herons have held an opponent to just one goal since topping Denison 18-1 back on April 5, 2003.
 
Sophomore Bizzer Gahagan logged two goals for the Herons. Senior Jackie Rogers picked up three ground balls, won a draw and caused a turnover. Bird and sophomore Laura Rollins also recorded three ground balls.
 
Abigail Horst scored the lone goal for Wesleyan. Caroline Sgaglione and Abigail Host each notched two caused turnovers. Horst added one draw, and Leah Giacalone and Emma Richards each won a team-high two draws. Grace McCann started the game, playing the opening 42:52 in goal and made seven saves. Allegra Grant came in for the final 17:08 and made two stops.
 
Wesleyan notched the first goal of the game at 11:47 into the contest. Horst gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead, but it was all William Smith the rest of the way. The Herons scored the next eight goals to earn the win.
 
Just over five minutes after the Cardinals' goal, Bird took advantage of a free position to tie the game up at 1-1. With 12:04 left in the first Burns gave the Herons the lead with a free position tally. Then 1:31 later, Bird added her second free position goal of the game. With 7:07 before the break, Gahagan registered her first goal of the day to give William Smith a 4-1 lead.
 
Bird opened the second half with back-to-back tallies, with the first coming on a free position. Bird now leads William Smith with 14 goals and 20 points this season. Gahagan produced her second goal of the game, a free position goal, with 17:08 to go to make it 7-1. Gahagan has notched eight goals so far this year. Flaherty scored the final goal of the game, her fifth of the season, with 15:06 remaining for the final margin.
 
The Herons held an 18-15 advantage in shots and a 14-5 lead in ground balls. Wesleyan earned a 6-5 edge in draws. William Smith went 16-for-18 on clear attempts and the Cardinals finished 9-for-10.
 
The Herons will be back in action on Wednesday, March 22, when they host St. John Fisher for another non-league game on Boswell Field at 5 p.m.