GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith senior Lily Gutch was named the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Offensive Performer of the Week for Division III, the association announced today. It's her first career national recognition after earning her first career Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week award yesterday. She is the second Heron to earn this recognition this season as graduate student Rebecca Mantione was named the NFHCA Offensive Performer of the Week earlier this season.
 
Gutch earned national recognition after a dominant week that saw the William Smith field hockey team go 3-0, earning two crucial conference victories. She scored six goals, including her first career hat trick. For the season, Gutch has 18 points on eight goals and two assists.
 
In Tuesday's nonconference win over Houghton, Gutch scored three times, including the game winner, to lift the Herons to a 5-2 victory over the Highlanders. On Friday, her third quarter goal gave William Smith a 3-1 lead in a game that they went on to win 3-2 over RPI. Gutch closed out the week with a pair of goals to power the Herons to a 2-1 victory at Vassar.
 
The forward from Saratoga Springs, New York, ranks fourth in the Liberty League in goals per game (0.50), sixth in points per game (1.13), and eighth in game-winning goals per game (0.125). Gutch sits at 33 career points on 13 goals, including three game-winning goals, and seven assists.
 
Gutch and William Smith (9-7, 3-2 LL) will be back in action Saturday, Oct. 25, when they host Liberty League foe, Ithaca (10-5, 3-3 LL). Action between the Herons and the Bombers is set to begin at 1 p.m. on McCooey Field with a pregame ceremony celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 2000 National Champion field hockey team.