AMHERST Mass.-The 18th-ranked William Smith College lacrosse team was defeated by 13th-ranked Amherst 11-6 in a non-conference contest on Pratt Field this afternoon. The Herons are now 2-1 on the season.
 
The Mammoths scored the game's final 10 goals as they rallied for their third win of the season.
 
Sophomore Ellie Burns and first-year Payton McMahon each had a pair of goals to lead the Herons. Sophomore Mekayla Montgomery scooped up a game-high five ground balls and won three draws. Sophomores Olivia Hofmann and Jules Kennedy split time in goal for the Herons they each had one save. 
 
Leah Ritterband had a game-high five points on two goals and three assists for Amherst. Hannah Gustafson added a hat trick. Kate Burns had a team-high two ground balls. Gustafson and Maia Noyes each won three draws. Talia Land made 16 saves, including 10 in the second half as the Mammoths held William Smith without a goal in the final 37:45 of the game.
 
William Smith started the game strong, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. Burns opened the scoring 2:32 into the first half with her sixth goal of the season. Sophomore Mekayla Montgomery doubled the Herons lead with her fourth goal of the season just under two minutes later. Senior Bizzer Gahagan made it 3-0 seven minutes into the game with her fourth goal of the season. Junior Rachel Slagle was credited with an assist on the goal.  
 
Ritterband scored Amherst's first goal of the game 13 minutes in to the half.
 
McMahon scored the next two goals on free position shots. They were her third and fourth goals of the season. Burns gave the Herons a five goal lead with her seventh goal of the season. Sophomore Sadie Mapstone was credited with an assist on the goal.
 
Amherst closed out the half on a four goal run to make it 6-5 at the break. Ritterband, Claire Dunbar, Gustafson and Katherine Malone scored the goals for the Mammoths.
 
Malone struck again just over three minutes into the second half to tie the game. Gustafson scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal two minutes later. Noyes, Dunbar, Gustafson and Isabelle Sennett scored down the stretch for the Mammoths.
 
William Smith held a 25-20 edge in shots and a 20-10 advantage in ground balls. Amherst held a 10-9 edge in draws. The Herons were successful on 12-of-17 clear attempts and Amherst went 13-for-18.
 
The Herons will be back in action on Friday, March 15, when they take on St. John Fisher. Opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Rochester, N.Y.