ITHACA, N.Y. — The 19th-ranked William Smith College lacrosse team defeated seventh-ranked Ithaca 17-13 in the Liberty League Tournament championship game at Higgins Stadium this afternoon. The Herons improved to 8-4 on the year with the win.
 
It was William Smith's seventh Liberty League Tournament title in program history and fifth in a row. With the win, the Herons secured the Liberty League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The entire tournament field will be announced with a selection show on Monday, May 3, at 10:30 a.m.
 
Sophomore Maddie Montgomery was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. The Queensbury, N.Y. native had a game-high seven points on six goals and an assist against the Bombers. Montgomery also won a game-high nine draws. She finished the Liberty League tournament with 10 points on eight goals and two assists. She won 16 draws.
 
Seniors Kelsey Williams and Ellie Burns both scored four goals for the Herons. Sophomore Molly Davis had a team high five ground balls and won eight draws. First-year Maddie Bamberger started in goal and made seven saves.
 
Ithaca (12-1) was led by Jacqui Hallack's six points on five goals and an assist. Megan Motkowski added four goals. Hallack won a team-high three draws. Kelly Mehorter brought in a game-high seven ground balls for the Bombers. Four players had two caused turnovers. Mackenzie Schade started in the Ithaca goal and made 12 saves.
 
William Smith jumped in front on Payton McMahon's first goal of the game. She bounced a shot past Schade for her 17th goal of the season. Less than a minute later, Hallack notched her first tally of the game on a free position shot. It was her 62nd goal of the season. The Herons regained the lead on McMahon's second goal of the game. It came off a free position attempt. It was her 18th goal of the season. Montgomery gave William Smith a two-goal lead with her first goal of the game. The unassisted goal came with 24:24 left in the first half. The Bombers tied the game with a pair of goals in a 90 second span. Alex Rabb and Alexa Ritchie were credited with the goals.
 
William Smith took control of the game thanks to a 7-2 run to end the half.  Davis' goal with 20:07 remaining kicked off the Heron run. Her 12th goal of the season was assisted by Montgomery. Thirty seconds later, Williams converted on a free position attempt. Burns' 18th goal of the season gave the Herons a three-goal lead. First-year Chloe McGlynn was credited with an assist on the strike. Motkowski interrupted the scoring flurry, burying a free position attempt for her 33rd goal of the season. Montgomery scored the game's next three goals to complete her hat trick. All three goals were unassisted.  Burns capped off William Smith's run with her 19th goal of the season. Twenty-three seconds later, Madison Boutureira scored the final goal of the half.
 
The Bombers carried the momentum through the break, scoring the first three goals of the second half. Hallack scored twice to cap her hat trick and bring her season total to 64 goals. Alex Rabb's 22nd goal of the season would bring Ithaca within two goals, but that would be as close as the score would get. Montgomery extended William Smith's lead to 12-8 with her fourth and fifth goals of the game. She now has a team best 41 goals on the season. With 17:15 left in regulation, Motkowski added her second goal of the game for Ithaca. Indira Varma was credited with an assist on the goal. Four minutes later, Burns completed her hat trick on a free position shot. Motkowski answered with a free position goal of her own. William Smith rattled off three goals in a two minute span to put the game out of reach. Williams scored twice and added an assist on Burns' goal during the scoring stretch.
 
Motkowski and Hallack added free positon goals down the stretch to give the Bombers a chance at the victory, but Williams shut the door with a free position goal with 5:09 left in regulation. It was her 15th goal of the season. Hallack rounded out the scoring for Ithaca with her 66th goal of the season.
 
William Smith finished the game with a 34-25 edge in shots on goal and had a 21-11 advantage in the draw circle. The 21 draw wins were second on William Smith's single-game list. Ithaca held a 26-23 advantage in ground balls.