SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.-Four different players recorded a hat trick as the 14th-ranked William Smith College lacrosse team defeated Skidmore 17-5 in the regular season finale for both teams this afternoon. With their 13th consecutive victory, the Herons are 15-2 overall and 10-0 in Liberty League play.
 
Sophomore Kelsey Williams led the way for William Smith with six points. She had her second consecutive four goal game. Fellow sophomores Ellie Burns (3g, 3a) and Anna Murphy (3g) and first-year Payton McMahon (3g) also had hat tricks. Junior Rachel Slagle added a pair of goals. Sophomore Ellen Arena spearheaded William Smith's defensive effort as the Herons limited the Thoroughbreds to a season-low five goals. Arena had a game-high three caused turnovers and five ground balls in the win. McMahon won four draws. Sophomore Olivia Hofmann started in goal and made four saves. Sophomore Jules Kennedy played the final 20 minutes, stopping two shots.
 
Cas Szwajkowski led Skidmore (11-5, 7-3) with a pair of goals. She entered the week scoring over five goals per game. Shelby Boland added a goal and an assist for Skidmore. Caroline Kenlon had five ground ball and Ellie Daly had three caused turnovers. Emily Hirsch won a game-high seven draws. Kenlon started in goal and made six saves. Nicki Eckert played the final 18 minutes in goal.
 
William Smith started the game on a 5-0 run, opening the scoring just over four minutes into the game. Williams collected a pass from Burns and bounced a shot past Kenlon for her 10th tally of the season. Two minutes later, Murphy converted a free-position attempt from directly in front of the cage for her 23rd goal of the season. Fifteen seconds later, Williams picked up a loose ball and fired a shot into the back of the net. The unassisted goal was her second of the season. McMahon extended the lead to four goals one minute later. She one-timed a pass from Slagle past Kenlon. It was McMahon's 21st goal of the season. Murphy fired home her second goal of the game with 19:24 remaining in the half. Szwajkowski ended the Herons' run with a goal 21 seconds later. She beat her defender and bounced a shot past Hofmann. Williams completed her hat trick with 16:32 left in the first half. Her 13th goal of the season was unassisted. Szwajkowski again answered quickly, scoring her second goal of the game 22 seconds later. Utilizing a quick restart, she found a lane in William Smith's defense and fired a shot past Hofmann.
 
William Smith closed out the half on a 6-1 run to take a 12-3 lead into the break. Junior Nicki Santora bested Kenlon for 25th goal of the season. Williams notched an assist on the goal. Three minutes later, Burns scored her first goal of the game to give the Herons an 8-2 lead. The unassisted goal was her 48th goal of the season. McMahon converted on a free-position attempt with 10:28 remaining in the half. Slagle beat Kenlon to extend the lead to eight goals. Her 13th goal of the season was assisted by Burns. Emily Hirsch briefly halted William Smith's run, bouncing a shot past Hofmann. Two minutes later, Murphy completed her hat trick off a pass from sophomore Sadie Mapstone. It was Murphy's 25th tally of the season. Mapstone added a goal of her own 78 seconds later. The woman-up goal was her 15th of the season.
 
Burns opened the second half with her 49th goal of the season. The free position goal gave the Herons a 10 goal lead. Fifty-four seconds later, Slagle beat her defender and bounced a shot past Kenlon. Her 14th goal of the season was unassisted. Burns completed her hat trick with 18:33 remaining in regulation. Williams was credited with an assist on Burns' 50th goal of the season. Burns returned the favor, setting up Williams' fourth goal of the game just under three minutes later. McMahon one-timed a feed from Mapstone to complete her hat trick, giving William Smith a 17-3 lead. It was McMahon's fifth career hat trick. Anna Boogarerts and Shelby Boland scored down the stretch for Skidmore to round out the scoring.
 
William Smith finished the game with a 25-21 edge in shots and a 24-17 advantage in ground balls. The Herons were 15-of-23 clearing the ball and the Thoroughbreds were 8-of-11.
 
William Smith, which clinched the Liberty League regular season title last weekend against Rochester, will be back in action next Saturday, May 4, when it hosts the Liberty League Tournament on Boswell Field at David J Urick Stadium. The Herons are scheduled to play in the first semifinal at 11:30 a.m. Skidmore will host Vassar in a quarterfinal contest on Tuesday.