GENEVA, N.Y. –First-year Abigail Mantione scored a second half brace as the William Smith field hockey team rallied to force No. 11 Hamilton to overtime in a non-conference battle on McCooey Field this evening. Despite the thrilling comeback, the Herons fell to the Continentals 3-2 in overtime. With the loss, William Smith falls to 4-6 overall, while Hamilton improves to 7-1 on the season.
The thrilling non-conference contest saw both the Herons and the Continentals put on impressive performances this evening. Hamilton held a 16-7 advantage in shots, including a 12-5 edge in shots on target against William Smith. The Continentals also earned nine penalty corners compared to the Herons' three, but William Smith held a 9-3 advantage in saves in the loss.
Mantione led the Herons with four points on two goals in the setback, while senior Leah Griffith tallied one point on one assist. Mantione and junior Hadley Harbert fired off a team-leading two shots each this evening, combining for three shots on target. Griffith and juniors Eliza Freeland and Mia Batchelder added one shot each in the loss.
Sophomore Olivia Terranova got the start in goal for William Smith and made six saves in 23 minutes of play. First-year Ryan Marsh played the final 33 minutes and made three stops in the loss. Marsh is now 0-2 on the season.
MATCH MOMENTS:
- Hamilton came out hot in the opening quarter, creating a threatening scoring chance just 55 seconds into the game. After a scramble in front of goal, the Continentals fired off three straight shots, but Terranova stood tall and made three early saves to keep the game scoreless.
- The Continentals would open the scoring in the sixth minute when Isabelle Nahon fired a shot from the top of the arc. Nahon's shot was deflected by Eva Bell past Terranova to grab the 1-0 lead.
- The visitors continued to apply pressure for the remaining nine minutes, earning three penalty corners and forcing William Smith into two more saves. Terranova continued to stand tall, closing out the opening quarter with only a one-goal deficit.
- Hamilton would double its lead just five minutes into the second quarter after being awarded a penalty corner. Eleanor Cooper inserted the ball to Morgan Clarke who fired off a shot that was tipped by Brighton McMahon past Terranova to give the Continentals a 2-0 lead.
- Marsh entered the game at the 22:38 mark and soon after made their first save of the game. Marsh came up big stopping a shot by Lindsey Piper to keep the game at 2-0.
- Eight minutes into the second half, the Herons would respond with a goal of their own. Griffith found the ball at her stick, and drove around two defenders. Griffith fired a shot across the goal to a waiting Mantione who tapped in her shot. Her fourth goal of the season brought William Smith back within one.
- The Herons applied the pressure in the final quarter, firing off three shots compared to the Continentals' two and earned one penalty corner while maintaining most of the game's momentum. Hamilton nearly doubled their lead in the 54th minute after a counterattack led to a Nahon shot but her shot hit the post to keep it a 2-1 game.
- With 4:28 left in the game, William Smith pulled its goalie to give the Herons an extra player on the field. Nearly two minutes later, the move paid off as Mantione tallied her second goal of the night. Sophomore Josie Elion sent a long pass into the path of Mantione. A Continental defender originally broke up the pass, but Mantione fought to regain possession of the ball. She turned and slipped a shot near post past the Hamilton goalie to tie the game at 2-2.
- Neither team created any threatening scoring chances as the time expired, sending the non-conference contest to overtime.
- Hamilton opened the overtime period with back-to-back shots, but neither landed on target. William Smith grabbed back the momentum with a shot of their own, but Griffith's shot was stopped by Kelly Janssen.
- In the 68th minute, the Continentals forced a counterattack as McMahon charged through the Heron backline. McMahon was brought down by a charging Marsh, resulting in a penalty stroke opportunity for Hamilton. Nahon stepped up to the spot and buried her shot to give the Continentals a thrilling 3-2 victory on the road.
COACHES CORNER:
"I'm so proud of our group for battling back from a 2-0 deficit in the first half to send the game into overtime," said Head Coach Sophie Riskie '07. "Hamilton is a very fast team, and we made some adjustments in positioning and strategy to come out strong in the second half. Our team continues to battle against some of the best teams in division 3. The strength of our schedule over the past four games has prepared us well to launch into Liberty League play this weekend, having competed in several championship-style games over the past two weeks."
UP NEXT:
William Smith will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 2, when it travels to Troy, New York, to open conference play at RPI. Action between the Herons and the Engineers is set for 4 p.m.
