LEXINGTON, Va.—The Washington and Lee University women's lacrosse team scored 4:36 into overtime to defeat William Smith College 7-6 this afternoon in an NCAA tournament quarterfinal game played on Watt Field. The Herons finished the season with a program records for wins (20) and caused turnovers (255), and made their first NCAA tournament quarterfinal appearance since 2003.
 
Five Herons scored in the game. Senior Allie Flaherty led William Smith (20-2) with two goals. Junior Melissa Moore and sophomore Laura Rollins each picked up a team-high three ground balls. Rollins added three caused turnovers and senior Jackie Rogers notched two caused turnovers. Senior Sarah Honan finished with five saves in 64:36 in goal.
 
Six players scored for Washington and Lee (19-1). Hayley Soutter scored two goals and added two assists. Haley Tucker logged a goal and two assists. Jess Castelo registered a goal and an assist. She added two ground balls. Tucker controlled at the circle winning a game-high eight draws. Elliot Gilbert made two saves in goal for the Generals.
 
The Herons scored first 8:12 into the game. Senior Alexandra Bird dodged her defender to give William Smith a 1-0 lead. Moore made it 2-0 for the Herons firing a free position shot just under the crossbar. Honan was whistled for a foul and the Generals were awarded a free position attempt with an empty goal, and Collette Murray took advantage to put W&L on the board with 16:54 left in the first. Jess Castelo tied the game up at 2-2 with 11:16 remaining in the first. Flaherty took back the lead for the Herons using a spin move to get around her defender to notch a woman-up goal with 7:02 on the clock. The Generals put together the next two goals to take their first lead of the game with 2:48 left in the opening half. Mimi MacCowatt scored a fast break goal off a pass from Castelo. Sisson put the Generals on top with a shot from right in the middle of the fan after a feed from Haley Tucker. First-year Nicki Santora knotted the game at four for the Herons as she beat the buzzer tipping a loose ball into the back of the net.
 
Junior Ali Burns drilled a tough angle shot into the back of the net 7:35 into the second half to put the Herons on top. The Generals answered with goals from Tucker and Soutter to take a 6-5 lead. With 8:32 left in regulation, Flaherty fired a shot from just inside eight meters into the back of the netting. It was her 49th goal this year. The Generals had the ball for close to the final nine minutes of regulation, but the Heron defense held strong and did not allow W&L to even take a shot.
 
The Herons best scoring chance in OT came towards the end of the first three minutes. Burns fired a shot on goal that was saved, but the rebound bounced loose. Bird almost picked the ball up right in front to get another shot off, but the Generals came away with it. Soutter scored the game winner from right in front off an assist from Sara Holland. With the win, the Generals advance to the national semifinals.
 
Each team took 13 shots. William Smith finished with a 13-10 advantage in ground balls. The Generals had a 14-1 lead in draws. The Herons were successful on 11-of-15 clears and W&L finished 10-of-14 clear attempts.
 
The Heron Class of 2017 – Alexandra Bird, Amy Blanchard, Sarah Honan, Allie Flaherty, Jackie Rogers and Geneva Waite – finished its four years with a 47-27 record. It's the most wins by a graduating class since 2006. They led the Herons to back-to-back Liberty League regular season and tournament titles and back-to-back trips to the NCAA tournament.
 
Honan holds the William Smith record for wins in a season with her 20 this year. Her 4.79 goals against average is second on the Heron single season list. Honan finished her career third in William Smith lacrosse history with 46 wins and 523 saves. She's fourth in career goals against average (7.34), 12th in career caused turnovers (63) and tied for 12th in career ground balls (157).
 
Flaherty finished her career fourth in career draws (107) and tied for fifth in career caused turnovers (79). Rogers ranks eighth on the Heron career list for caused turnovers with 71. Bird closed out her career tied for 10th on the William Smith list for career goals (144) and tied for 13th in career points (180).