POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.-The William Smith College lacrosse team defeated Vassar 18-7 in a Liberty League contest on Weinberg Field this afternoon. With the win, the Herons have won their last 10 games and are 12-2 overall and 8-0 in Liberty League play.
 
It was a record setting day for sophomore Mekayla Montgomery. The Hainesport, N.J. native won a career-high 11 draws against the Brewers. The 11 wins was a William Smith single-game record. Emy Stratton '16 held the previous record. She won nine against Babson on March 20, 2014. Montgomery's 11 wins today brought her season total to a career-high 75 draws, besting Lucy Johnson's record of 72 set in 2012. Montgomery has won 142 career draws which is second on William Smith's all-time list behind Johnson's 172.
 
Sophomore Ellie Burns (4g, 2a) and Anna Murphy (3g, 3a) led the way for the Herons with six points each. It was a career-high in points and assists for Murphy and matched a career-high in points for Burns. First-year Payton McMahon also had a hat trick. Junior Rachel Slagle matched her career-high with four assists. William Smith spread the ball around well, collecting assists on 14 of the 18 goals. Sophomore Ellen Arena had a game-high five ground balls and five caused turnovers. Sophomore Olivia Hofmann made six saves in goal for the Herons.
 
Vassar (5-6, 2-4) was led offensively by Kelly Pushie's three points on a goal and two of assists. Tessa Waters had a pair of goals. Sydney Nemphos had four ground balls for the Brewers. Nemphos and Fiona MacLeod each had three caused turnovers. Jackie Molloy started in goal for Vassar and made 11 saves.
 
Vassar opened the scoring 90 seconds into the game with a Caeli Porette free position goal. It was her 21st tally of the season. William Smith went on an 8-1 run over the next 20 minutes to take control of the game. Murphy started the run with a goal four minutes into the game. Senior Bizzer Gahagan was credited with an assist on Murphy's 16th goal of the season. Just over a minute later, McMahon gave the Herons the lead for good with her 17th goal of the season. She collected a pass from sophomore Kelsey Williams and dunked the ball past Molloy. Junior Nicki Santora gave William Smith a 3-1 lead with her 19th goal of the season. Murphy was credited with an assist on the goal. Waters made it a one-goal game with her 13th goal of the season.
 
The Herons rattled off the next five goals to expand their lead to six. Burns' 41st and 42nd goals of the season bookended the run. Slagle was credited with assists on both strikes. Williams, sophomore Rachel Yackel, and Santora also scored during that five goal stretch. Haydn Hallman's first goal of the season halted the Herons run with 3:49 remaining in the first half. Burns completed her hat trick 40 seconds later with her 43rd goal of the season. Sophomore Sadie Mapstone was credited with an assist on the goal. It was Burns' 11th hat trick of the season. Pushie and Mapstone scored to close out the first half.
 
Mapstone added her second goal of the game 62 seconds into the second half. Her 14th goal of the season was assisted by Murphy. Alessandra Fable scored for the Brewers to make it 11-5. Pushie was credited with an assist on Fable's 16th goal of the season. Two minutes later, McMahon deked around a defender and fired a shot into the back of the net for her second goal of the game. Burns added her fourth goal of the game and 44th tally of the season just over a minute later. She collected a pass from Slagle and bounced a shot past Molloy from directly in front of the cage. McMahon completed her hat trick with 19:16 remaining in regulation. It was McMahon's fourth career hat trick and second in as many games. Slagle was credited with an assist on McMahon's 19th goal of the season.
 
Sophomore Delia Lawver fired home her 10th goal of the season with 13:57 remaining in regulation to give William Smith a 15-6 lead. Murphy completed her hat trick with a pair of goals 60 seconds apart. The goals were her 17th and 18th goals of the season, respectively. Yackel closed out the scoring with her 20th goal of the season with 3:14 remaining in regulation.
 
William Smith finished the game with a 36-13 edge in shots and a 21-18 advantage in ground balls. The Herons were 15-of-18 clearing the ball and the Brewers were 17-of-21.
 
William Smith will be back in action on Wednesday, April, 17, when it heads to Hamilton for a non-conference contest. Opening draw against the Continentals is scheduled for 6 p.m.