GENEVA, N.Y.—Three different players recorded a hat trick as the ninth-ranked William Smith College lacrosse team cruised to a 13-5 win over 14th-ranked SUNY Cortland in a non-conference contest in the Poole Family Sports Dome this afternoon.  With the victory, the Herons are now 2-0 on the season and the Red Dragons fall to 1-1.
 
Senior Maddie Montgomery led the way with five points on four goals and an assist. Senior Payton McMahon and sophomore Katherine Murray also had hat tricks in the win. Allie McGinty (1g, 3a) finished with a four-point game. Sophomore Livvy Von Heill led the defensive charge, recording four caused turnovers and four ground balls. Junior Kate Risley scooped up a game-high five ground balls and had two caused turnovers. Sophomore Maura Smeader made 10 saves in 60 minutes of work.
 
Gabby Meager led the way for Cortland with two points on a goal and an assist. She had a game-high eight draw controls. Amy Hoeffner added four draw wins. Two Red Dragons finished the contest with three ground balls. Margaret Morgan played all 60 minutes in goal and made 12 saves.
 
KEY STATS:

• William Smith finished the game with a 32-19 advantage in shots.  
• The Herons won the ground ball battle 24-13.
• Cortland held a 15-6 advantage in the draw circle.
• William Smith was 21-of-22 clearing the ball and the Red Dragons were 13-of-17.

 
QUICK START

• The Herons took control of the game, jumping out to a 5-0 lead 10 minutes into the contest. After senior Molly Davis opened the scoring three minutes into the game, Montgomery and McMahon traded off the next four goals, giving the Herons a five-goal advantage.
• Meager snapped the run with her fourth goal of the season with just under two minutes remaining in the frame.
• Junior Chloe McGlynn wrapped up the first quarter with her first goal of the season.
• Murray opened the second quarter with her second goal of the season, extending the William Smith lead to 7-1.
• Less than two minutes later, Montgomery completed her hat trick. It was her fifth goal of the season.
• Cortland moved back within six when Rachel Janis bounced a shot into the back of the net. Meager was awarded an assist on the tally.
• Murray wrapped up the first half with her second goal of the season. Montgomery was awarded an assist on the goal.

 
SECOND HALF

• Cortland won the opening draw control of the second half and converted on its first possession. Toni Cashman converted on a free position shot for her second goal of the season.
• Two minutes later, William Smith responded when McGinty scored her second goal of the season. Kaitlin Pellechia was awarded an assist on the goal.
• With 11:47 left in the third quarter, Rachel Rempe scored a free position shot to keep the Red Dragons within six goals.
• McMahon completed her hat trick with 6:44 left in the frame off a feed from McGinty.
• Lauren Hopsicker added a goal for Cortland with just under three minutes remaining in the third quarter, but that would be as close as the Red Dragons would get.
• Montgomery and Murray rounded out the scoring with goals early in the fourth quarter. Montgomery's sixth goal of the season was a free position goal and Murray's tally completed her hat trick.
• Smeader stopped all three shots she faced and the Herons played lockdown defense, keeping Cortland off the scoreboard in the final 15 minutes.

 
UP NEXT
William Smith will be back in action Wednesday, March 8, when it begins a two-game road trip with SUNY Brockport. Opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m.