HWS Athletics News Release –
MIDDLETOWN, Conn.—The ninth-ranked William Smith lacrosse team jumped out to a 5-1 lead and never looked back as it defeated 13th-ranked Colby 14-6 in a quarterfinal contest on Smith Field on the campus of Wesleyan University this afternoon. With the win, the Herons are now 20-3 on the season and advance to the national semifinals for the second straight year.
Sophomore Natalie Daniels led the way for William Smith with six goals and seven points. She also won a game-high nine draw controls. Senior Maddie Montgomery had three goals and two assists in the win. Senior Molly Davis added a hat trick. Four different Herons had a caused turnover as the Herons only allowed three goals over the final 45 minutes of the game. Senior Madeline Schleicher had a game-high four ground balls. Junior Maura Smeader played all 60 minutes in goal and made five saves.
Julia Jardina had three goals to lead the way for Colby (13-7). She also won two draw controls. Sarah Hearns played 50 minutes in goal and made six saves. She also had three ground balls.
STREAKING
- With two assists today, senior Allie McGinty extended her points streak to 66 straight games.
- Daniels has scored in 25 straight games.
MILESTONE
- Montgomery now has 80 goals this season. She is the only player in program history to have two 80-goal seasons.
- Daniels has 90 points on the year. It is the first time since 1994 that the Herons have had two players with 90-plus points in a season.
- The 23 games played are a program record and the 20 wins are tied for second with the 2017 season.
- William Smith’s 478 points are a new single-season record and the 340 goals match last year’s season record.
KEY STATS
- William Smith finished the game with a 29-21 advantage in shots, a 17-13 edge in ground balls and a 16-5 advantage in the draw circle.
SCORING SUMMARY
- William Smith opened the scoring 65 seconds into the game when Daniels buried her 72nd goal of the season.
- Colby tied the game at the 12:10 mark of the opening frame on Jardina’s 46th goal of the year.
- The tie was not long-lived as the Herons scored twice in the next minute to take a 3-1 lead. Molly Davis fired home a pass from senior Emily Griffin for her 34th tally of the season. Fifty-one seconds later, Montgomery notched her 78th goal of the year. With 7:05 left in the opening frame, Montgomery struck again, extending the lead to 4-1. Her 79th goal of the season was assisted by Daniels. A minute later, Daniels scored woman-up to make it a four-goal game. Her 73rd goal of the year was assisted by McGinty.
- Kris Helmer and Jardia scored late in the first quarter for the Mules to make it 5-3, but that was as close as Colby would get Helmer’s goal was assisted by Tate Ban and Jardina’s goal was unassisted.
- Davis scored 45 seconds into the second quarter to make it 6-3. Her 35th goal of the year was on a free position attempt. Daniels completed her hat trick with 8:44 remaining in the half. Her 74th goal of the year was unassisted.
- Ainsley Dion scored for Colby with just over five minutes remaining in the half. It was her 15th goal of the year.
- Junior Katherine Murray and Montgomery rounded out the opening 30 minutes with unassisted goals to make it 9-4 at the break. Montgomery’s tally completed her hat trick.
- Jardina cut into the Herons’ lead with a free position goal just under three minutes into the third quarter.
- Davis and Daniels scored goals two minutes apart in the third frame, to give William Smith an 11-5 advantage. Both goals were assisted by Montgomery. Daniels tacked on two goals to open the fourth quarter to complete the natural hat trick. They were her 76th and 77th goals of the season. Sophomore Taryn Luzi made it a five-goal run with her 10th goal of the season. She dunked home a shot from McGinty.
- Cami McDonald rounded out the scoring with 9:38 left in regulation. Her 20th goal of the year was assisted by Ally Franz.
UP NEXT
William Smith will be back in action on Friday, May 24, when they take on fifth-ranked Salisbury in Salem, Virginia.
