GENEVA, N.Y.— The William Smith field hockey team bounced back with a dominating 6-1 nonconference win over Nazareth this evening on McCooey Field. With the win, the Herons move to 2-2 on the season while the Golden Flyers fall to 1-1 overall.

William Smith put on a dominant performance against Nazareth this evening. The Herons held a 25-5 advantage in shots and enjoyed a 17-3 edge in shots on target. William Smith earned seven penalty corners in the win and held the Golden Flyers to three.

Junior Anneliese Oetsen led William Smith with four points on two goals against Nazareth. She fired off five shots, landing four on target in the win. Senior Rebecca Mantione tallied three points on her first goal of the season as well as one assist. First-year Madi Stitz scored her first career goal as a Heron in the nonconference win.

First-year Baker Jeremiah earned the victory in goal for William Smith. She made two saves in 45 minutes of play before classmate Bella Diamandis took over for the last quarter. Jeremiah moves to 2-2 on the season.

Mackenzie Halliday played all 60 minutes in goal for the Golden Flyers and registered 10 saves in the loss.

MATCH MOMENTS:

• The Herons opened the scoring 5:55 into the opening quarter after being awarded a penalty corner. Junior Zoe Ugarteche inserted the ball to senior Hannah Huston who stopped the ball for Kogut. Kogut ripped a shot low past the Nazareth goalie for her second goal of the season. Huston and Ugarteche were credited with the assists.
• Roughly five minutes later, William Smith broke through for the second goal of the night. Mantione sliced through three defenders and slotted the ball across the goal to a wide open Oetsen who tapped in the shot for her first goal of the season.
• Oetsen added her second of the game a minute later after William Smith was awarded a penalty corner. Junior Delaney Williams sent the ball to Mantione who dished a pass back to Williams. She tipped the ball across the face of the goal to Oetsen who buried the ball in the goal for her second of the day.
• In the 39th minute the Herons would make the score 4-0. Stitz ripped a shot from the top of the arc that deflected off a defender's stick and fell into the back of the goal. It was Stitz's first career goal for William Smith.
• A minute into the final quarter William Smith would strike again. After a scramble in front of the goal, junior Abby Jones fired off a shot that hit the post and fell to the stick of sophomore Leah Griffith. Griffith slotted the ball into the goal for her first of the season.
• William Smith scored its final goal of the game in the 48th minute after being awarded another penalty corner. Griffith inserted the ball to senior Katherine Jacobia who slotted the ball across the top of the arc to a rushing Mantione. Mantione fired off a shot that found the back post over the goalies' head for her first of the season.
• Nazareth closed out the scoring in the 56th minute after the Golden Flyers went on a fast break capitalizing on a Heron defensive mistake. Michaela Cushman slipped a shot low past a rushing Diamandis to close out the scoring at 6-1.

COACHES CORNER:
 
"It was great to see scoring by five different Herons tonight!" said Head Coach Sophie Riskie '07. "One of our goals going into the game was to execute off a corner and we were able to do that with a great direct strike on our first goal of the game. In the fourth quarter, we played a great passing game, moved the ball with speed with two touch passing. We look forward to the William Smith Classic this weekend!"
 
UP NEXT:

William Smith will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 14, when it hosts Kean University to open the 2024 William Smith Classic. Action between the Herons and the Cougars is set for 10:30 a.m. on McCooey Field.