ROCHESTER, N.Y.— The William Smith field hockey team used a strong second half to open the season with a 5-1 non-conference win over St. John Fisher this afternoon. With the win, the Herons improve to 1-0 on the season, while the Cardinals fall to 0-1 overall.
Five different Herons scored in the win. Senior Leah Griffith and junior Mia Batchelder led William Smith with three points each after tallying one goal and one assist each, while juniors Eliza Freeland and Mia Bolster as well as first-year Abigail Mantione scored one goal each in the win. Mantione led the Herons with four shots in her collegiate debut, landing three on target.
William Smith opened the season with a strong performance, dominating the scoresheet against St. John Fisher. The Herons held a 22-13 edge in shots, including a 16-6 advantage in shots on goal, while both teams earned six penalty corners each in the non-conference battle. Morgan Parrinello registered 11 saves in the loss for the Cardinals.
Sophomore Olivia Terranova played the opening 45 minutes in goal for William Smith and made four saves in the win. First-year Ryan Marsh came in for the final 15 minutes but didn't face a shot in their collegiate debut.
MATCH MOMENTS:
- The Herons and Cardinals traded the early momentum, alternating possession and earning promising attack options. Through the first quarter, St. John Fisher held an 8-5 edge in shots while applying the early pressure.
- Despite the Cardinals holding the early edge in shots, William Smith broke through first with under a minute remaining in the opening quarter. Junior Ana Dios Vidal opened the sequence after a St. John Fisher foul and passed the ball to first-year Sarah King. King slotted a pass across the cage, where she found Freeland who redirected the pass around the Cardinal goalie, giving the Herons an early 1-0 lead.
- In the 18th minute, St. John Fisher would respond after being rewarded a penalty stroke after a Heron defensive miscue. Mary Kate McPhee slotted the shot to the lower left of the cage, tying the game at 1-1.
- William Smith maintained possession for the remainder of the opening half, firing off four shots but couldn't break through the Cardinal defense, ending the first half tied at 1-1.
- Just three minutes into the second half, the Herons regained the lead. Griffith collected the ball 40 yards out and drove at the Cardinal defense. After beating two defenders, Griffith ripped a shot that was deflected by Batchelder into the back of the cage. It was Batchelder's first goal of the season and seventh of her career.
- William Smith would strike again three minutes later after a Batchelder cross found the stick of Mantione. After a scramble in front of net, Mantione fired a shot into the goal to give the Herons a 3-1 lead. It was Mantione's first collegiate goal.
- In the 39th minute, William Smith would add to its lead after earning a penalty corner. Griffith inserted the corner to Batchelder. After originally losing the ball, Batchelder recovered and found Bolster at the top of the arc. Bolster fired off a shot past the Cardinal goalie to give Herons a 4-1 lead. It was Bolster's first career goal as a Heron.
- With 10 minutes remaining in the final quarter, William Smith would extend its lead after earning another penalty corner. Junior Grace McCormick fired off a shot that was saved by Parrinello. The rebound fell to junior Caroline Kogut, who found Griffith to make it 5-1.
- The final 10 minutes of play saw the Herons and the Cardinals trade possession in the midfield with no real scoring opportunities. William Smith closed out the non-conference battle on top, 5-1.
COACHES CORNER:
"I'm really proud of the way we began the 2026 season tonight!" said Head Coach Sophie Riskie '07. "We had five different Herons find the back of the cage, including two Herons scoring the first goals of their careers. Our goalkeeping was strong, and while the second quarter was a bit chaotic, we made some key adjustments at halftime and came out and dominated the third quarter. I loved the way this group competed, adapted, and played for one another. It was a great team effort and a strong way to start the season."
UP NEXT:
William Smith will be back in action Saturday, Sept. 5, when it hosts Ursinus for a non-conference clash. Action between the Herons and the Bears is set for noon on McCooey Field.
