By Mackenzie Larson, HWS Athletic Communications
GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College senior Maddie Montgomery recorded a career-high nine points as the third-ranked Herons defeated 20th-ranked Ithaca College 17-8 in a Liberty League contest on Boswell Field at David J Urick Stadium this afternoon. With her third goal of the game, Montgomery became the 10th player in program history to record 200 career points.
Montgomery finished the game with a career-high matching seven goals and two assists. She now has 165 goals for her career moving her into sixth on William Smith’s all-time list. She has 206 career points. Junior Allie McGinty added five points on three goals and two assists. First-year Natalie Daniels led William Smith with four draw controls. Daniels and fellow first-year Anna Suter had four ground balls. Sophomore Maura Smeader played all 60 minutes in goal and made six saves.
Caroline Wise led Ithaca (8-5, 5-3) with four points on a goal and three assists. She added a game-high 10 draw controls. Sydney Phillips recorded a hat trick in the loss. Lexi Held played all 60 minutes in goal for Ithaca she made 13 saves and had a game-high six ground balls. Ithaca had three players with three caused turnovers.
KEY STATS
- William Smith finished the contest with a 39-18 advantage in shots on goal and a 23-12 lead in ground balls.
- The Bombers had an 18-11 edge in the draw circle.
- William Smith was 18-of-21 clearing the ball and Ithaca was 12-of-21 on its clearing attempts. The Bombers turned the ball over a season-high 25 times.
STREAKING
- William Smith is 12-0 overall this season with a 6-0 mark in Liberty League play. The Herons have clinched one of the seven spots in the Liberty League tournament.
- With her five points in today’s game, McGinty has recorded at least one point in 33 straight games. Montgomery has recorded at least one point in 27 straight games.
- With 12 straight wins, William Smith continues its best start to a season since 1995.
FAST START
- William Smith jumped out to a 4-2 lead at the end of the first quarter, including taking a 3-0 lead just over eight minutes into the game.
- Montgomery opened the scoring with her 40th goal of the year. She dodged around a defender and ripped a shot past Held.
- McGinty and Daniels scored 65 seconds apart to extend the lead to three goals. McGinty’s 13th goal was assisted by Maddie Schleicher and Daniels’ 20th goal of the year was unassisted.
- Phillips snapped William Smith’s run with 6:22 left in the opening stanza her goal was assisted by Maizy Veitch.
- Montgomery added her 41st goal of the year with 3:49 left in the first quarter. Senior Molly Davis was awarded an assist on the goal.
- Haley Armstrong’s seventh goal of the season made it 4-2 with 47 seconds remaining in the frame. Her goal was assisted by Wise.
EXTENDING THE LEAD
- Veitch made it a one-goal game with 43 seconds into the second quarter with her 33rd goal of the season. That would be as close as Ithaca would get as the Herons rattled off the next four goals.
- Montgomery started William Smith’s run with her 42nd goal of the season. The unassisted tally was her 200th career point.
- Two minutes later, senior Kaitlin Pellechia notched her 22nd goal of the season off a feed from Allie McGinty.
- Sophomore Katherine Murray and Montgomery scored back-to-back goals to make it 8-3 with 6:53 left in the first half. Murray’s goal was assisted by McGinty and Montgomery’s tally was assisted by Murray. It was their 23rd and 43rd goal of the season, respectively.
- Vietch’s second goal of the game with 6:14 left in the half made it 8-4. Wise was credited with an assist on the goal.
THIRD QUARTER
- Chloe Nordyke and Phillips scored for Ithaca to open the third quarter, making it 8-6. Nordyke’s tally was assisted by Armstrong and Phillips’ goal was assisted by Wise.
- The Herons put the game out of reach with a four-goal run in the middle of the third quarter. Montgomery bookended the run with her 44th and 45th goals of the season. Both were unassisted tallies. She also set up Chloe McGlynn’s eighth goal of the season. McGinty added a goal during the run on a pass from Payton McMahon.
- Wise scored for Ithaca with 5:20 left in the frame. Her 29th goal of the season was unassisted.
CLOSING IT OUT
- William Smith opened the fourth quarter by scoring five unanswered goals. McGinty started the run with her 15th goal of the season. She picked up a ground ball behind the cage, rolled out front and fired a shot past Held. It completed her hat trick.
- Pellechia added her second goal of the game just over a minute later. It was an unassisted goal.
- Montgomery’s seventh goal of the game just beat the shot clock. With one second remaining she fired a free position attempt into the back of the net.
- McGlynn added a second goal with 7:25 remaining in regulation. Her ninth goal of the year was set up by Montgomery. Fifty-three seconds later, Molly Davis beat Held for her 18th goal of the year.
- Phillips completed her hat trick with 4:47 left in the game. Her 35th goal of the year was assisted by Maddie Hall.
UP NEXT
William Smith will be back in action Saturday, April 15, when it concludes its four-game homestand against Bard. The opening draw is scheduled for 1 p.m.