GENEVA, N.Y.-William Smith ice hockey team scored two goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation to skate away with a 2-1 win over UCHC foe Utica at The Cooler this afternoon. With the win, the Herons improve to 11-3-3 on the year with a 7-0-2 record in conference play.
 
First-year Julia Mings scored her seventh goal of the season with 2:43 remaining in regulation to give William Smith a 2-1 lead. Mings collected a rebound right in front of the cage and swiped the loose puck across the goal line. Classmates Emily Martino and Jules Kennedy were credited with assists on the power-play goal. Kennedy sent a cross ice pass to Martino. Martino quickly fired a shot on goal that was turned aside by Bria Reilly. She picked up the rebound, carried it to the slot, and wristed another shot on goal. Reilly again stopped the puck with her left pad. Mings collected the loose puck and slipped the game-winning goal across the line.
 
The Herons had the game's first scoring chance midway through the first period. Junior Stephanie Hampton collected a puck in the slot and wristed a shot off the left post. Sophomore Taylor Morash also had a shot that just trickled past the left post. William Smith finished the opening period with a 12-5 edge in shots on goal.
 
Utica (7-8-0, 3-4-0) opened the scoring 7:21 into the second period when Jennifer Arts buried a tough angle shot into the upper left corner of the net. Her third goal of the season was assisted by Rebecca Brown and Lexi Stanisewski.
 
William Smith nearly tied the game midway through the period but senior Rebecca Begley and Kennedy had shots blocked by Pioneers. Begley then had a shot trickle just by the right post.
 
Senior captain Catherine Linehan sparked William Smith's come back with her second goal of the season at 10:26 of the third period. She collected a centering pass from junior Jordan Roetzer and flipped a shot past a sprawling Reilly. Egan Sachs-Hecht was credited with the secondary assist on the goal.
 
Up by a single goal, the Herons penalty kill was put to the test in the final 2:30 of regulation. Following a holding the stick penalty, Utica kept William Smith hemmed in its own zone but were only able to muster one shot towards the net that was blocked by Linehan. After the initial penalty kill, a player stepped out on the ice too soon and the Herons were whistled for too many players on the ice.  During the ensuing power play, Utica fired a pair of shots on goal that Maggie Salmon turned aside in the final 15 seconds of the game.
 
Salmon stopped 22 of the 23 shots she faced as she won her ninth game of the season. Reilly made 26 saves on the opposite end of the rink.
 
The Herons finished the game with a 28-23 edge in shots on goal. William Smith was 1-for-8 with the extra skater, while Utica was 0-for-5 on the power play.
 
Today's game was the first time this season, and just the second time in program history, the Herons have won a game when trailing entering the third period.
 
The Herons and Pioneers will conclude the home-and-home series tomorrow. Faceoff at the Utica Memorial Auditorium is scheduled for 3 p.m.