RUTLAND, Vt.—The William Smith College hockey team scored three goals in the second period as it defeated Castleton University 5-0 in a New England Hockey Conference quarterfinal conference at Spartan Arena this afternoon. With the win, William Smith is now 12-12-1 overall on the season.
 
 Senior Julianna Gong scored twice to lead William Smith. Junior Annie Hauser stopped all 20 shots she faced as she earned her second consecutive shutout. Kristen DiCicco played just over 58 minutes in goal for Castleton (14-11-1). She made 21 saves.
 
KEY STATS

• William Smith finished the game with a 26-20 edge in shots on goal.
• Neither team scored a power-play goal, but the Herons did score a shorthanded goal.

 
SCORING SUMMARY

• William Smith opened the scoring at the 2:09 mark of the second period. Sophomore Brianna Felice stole the puck from a defender and slipped a shot past DiCicco for her second goal of the season.
• Just over two minutes later, junior Elizabeth MacMurray gave the Herons a two-goal lead on her fourth goal of the season. She picked up a rebound and snuck a shot over the goal line. Mackenzie O'Neil was awarded an assist on the goal.
• Gong extended the lead to three goals when she scored at the 8:00 mark of the middle stanza. She wristed a shot from the left faceoff circle past DiCicco for her second goal of the season.
• First-year Kelly Howe notched her third goal of the year, firing a shot from the blue line into the empty net.
• Gong rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal of her own. She chipped a shot from the neutral zone into the back of the cage.

 
UP NEXT
The Herons will be back in action next Saturday, Feb. 25, when it takes on Elmira. Faceoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Murray Athletic Center.