BIG FIRST HALF PROPELS HERONS IN WOMEN’S LACROSSE

April 7: William Smith’s women’s lacrosse team, ranked 16 th nationally, played a nearly perfect first half and went on to post a 15-6 Liberty League victory over St. Lawrence University at the Saints’ North Country Field Saturday afternoon.

The Herons, 7-2 overall and 4-0 in the Liberty League, dominated the first half at both ends of the field en route a 9-0 halftime lead, and while the Saints, 4-5, 3-3, were able to mount a second half comeback, the Herons reestablished their nine-goal lead, scoring five of the game’s last six goals for the victory.

William Smith outshot the Saints 29-7 overall and 20-4 in shots on goal in the first half and won seven of ten draw controls en route their big lead. The Herons ended up with a 44-26 edge in shots for the game.

Sarah Dillon led the Herons with two goals and six assists while Molly Fitzgerald had three goals, Rachel Stahl two goals and two assists, Michaela Parnell two goals and an assist and Nina Sperry two goals.

Amanda Forbes scored four goals for the Saints and Lexi Wisnowski and Alanna Waters had one each.

Goaltender Rebecca Josefiak had 13 saves for the Herons while Becky Timbers had 18 stops for the Saints.

The Herons jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first ten minutes of the game, getting two goals from Parnell in that opening flurry and the William Smith defense completely shut down the Saints with Josefiak stopping all four Saint shots that got through to the net.

The Saints scored four straight goals 12 minutes into the second half, three of them by Forbes, to cut the Heron lead to 10-5, but Fitzgerald and Dillon scored goals 27 seconds apart with 11 minutes to play in the game and pulled away for the victory.