ITHACA, N.Y.—The seventh-ranked William Smith lacrosse team used a balanced offense and a smothering defense as it cruised to an 18-5 win over Ithaca in a Liberty League contest at Higgins Stadium this afternoon. Ten different players recorded a goal in the victory.
Junior
Katie Grottenthaler paced the William Smith offense, scoring four goals. It was her third four-goal game this season. She added five draw controls. Senior
Delaney Cassidy had a hat trick and two caused turnovers. In addition, senior
Taryn Luzi, junior
Mia Falco and first-year
Finley Crosby also had multi-goal games. Junior
Grace Rund matched her season high with 13 draw controls.
The Herons' defense limited the Bombers to a season-low five goals and 13 shots. Junior
Janey Sypeck paced the defense with four caused turnovers and five ground balls. Senior
Caitie Baker added two caused turnovers and three ground balls. Senior
Lily Kuhn had a caused turnover and four ground balls. Graduate student
Casey Fiore played all 60 minutes in goal as she earned the victory.
Five different players scored goals for Ithaca. Kelly Augeri led the way with three points on a goal and two assists. Taya Dukes had a goal, two draw controls and a ground ball. Aubrey Holowinski had a team-high three caused turnovers. Mikaela Dattilo played all 60 minutes in goal for the Bombers. She made 11 saves.
FOR THE RECORD
- With the win, William Smith improves to 11-1 with a 7-0 mark in conference play. The victory clinched the Herons a spot in the seven-team Liberty League tournament.
- The Bombers fall to 8-4 on the year with a 5-3 record in conference play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- William Smith dominated the stat sheet, finishing with a 36-13 advantage in shots. The Herons controlled the draw circle, winning 21 of the 24 draws in the game.
- William Smith had a 17-12 edge in ground balls.
- The Herons were 22-for-24 clearing the ball and Ithaca was 15 of 16 on its clear attempts.
SCORING SUMMARY
- After a defensive stop, Ithaca took a 1-0 lead with 11:41 left in the opening frame. Lily Cody scored an unassisted goal.
- William Smith answered two minutes later when Rund pocketed an unassisted goal. It kick-started a 15-2 run that saw the Herons seize control of the game.
- Luzi gave William Smith the lead with 5:11 remaining in the first quarter, burying a feed from first-year Cat Colvin.
- Ithaca tied the game one minute later when Kathryn Scallon scored on a feed from Cody. That would be as close as the Bombers would get and was Cody's final point of the game. Cody entered the game as Ithaca's leading scorer.
- Falco scored twice and Grottenthaler once in the final three minutes as the Herons took a 5-2 lead after the first quarter. Falco's first goal was assisted by Luzi. The other two goals were unassisted.
- William Smith built the lead to 10-3 at the half, scoring five of the six goals in the second quarter. Junior Kira Fulton netted a free position goal 61 seconds into the quarter.
- Augeri momentarily halted the goal two minutes later with an unassisted goal.
- The Herons put the game out of reach, scoring the next 10 goals. Four of those goals came in the first half. Crosby started the run with her first goal of the game. It was an unassisted goal. Grottenthaler scored the next two goals to complete her hat trick. Sophomore Lauren Collins tacked on a woman-up goal on a free position shot with 2:07 left in the half.
- William Smith scored all five goals in the third quarter. Colvin converted early in the frame on a feed from Falco. Two minutes later, Cassidy pocketed an unassisted goal to make it a nine-goal game.
- With 5:46 left in the stanza, Luzi buried a pass from Colvin for her second goal of the game. Two minutes later, Cassidy made it 12-3 with an unassisted goal. First-year Ally Orquiola tacked on an unassisted goal with 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
- Grottenthaler picked up her fourth goal of the game two minutes into the fourth quarter on a free position shot.
- Taya Dukes ended Ithaca's scoreless drought at 32 minutes on a pass from Augeri.
- Cassidy and Crosby extended William Smith's lead to 18-4 with goals late in the fourth quarter.
- Leigh Naturale rounded out the scoring with a goal with 27 seconds left in regulation. Augeri had the assist on the tally.
STREAKING
- With a goal today, Fulton extended her points streak to 26 games. She has had at least one point in 27 of her last 28 games.
UP NEXT
William Smith will be back in action on Saturday, April 10, when it takes on Bard. The opening draw is scheduled for 1 p.m.
