William Smith College junior attack Maddie Montgomery scored a career-high seven goals and had a career-high 12 draw controls as she powered the eighth-ranked Herons to a 16-9 win over 25th-ranked St. John Fisher in a non-conference contest on Stiles Field in the Poole Family Sports Dome. With its third straight victory, William Smith is now 7-1 on the season.
Sophomore Allie McGinty continued her torrid start to the season, recording six assists. Molly Davis logged four points on three goals and an assist in the victory, extending her point streak to 18 games. Payton McMahon added three points on a goal and two assists. She also had five draw controls and two caused turnovers. Montgomery’s 12 draw controls matched a William Smith single-game record set by Mekayla Montgomery ’21 at Brockport last season. Kate Risley and Livvy von Hill shared game-high honors with three caused turnovers. Von Heil and fellow first-year Katherine Murray had a team-high three ground balls. Maura Smeaderstarted in goal and made five saves.
The Cardinals (1-5) had three players finish the game with three points. Mary Fiorentino had three goals, Farrah Zalla had two goals and an assist and Courtney O’Dea tallied a goal and two assists. Sydney Carpenter had a team-high five draw controls and Shannon Foster had three caused turnovers. Lilly Goodsell played all 60 minutes in goal and made eight saves.
William Smith jumped out to a 3-0 lead just under three minutes into the game. Montgomery opened the scoring a mere 37 seconds into the game. She took a feed from McGinty and ripped a shot past Goodsell. Twenty-two seconds later, Montgomery picked up a rebound and dunked a shot past the goalie. Her 23rd goal of the season was unassisted. McMahon made it a three-goal game with her 15th goal of the season. McGinty was credited with an assist on the goal. Carpenter snapped William Smith’s run with her seventh goal of the season. She beat Smeader with a free-position shot. The Herons added three more goals in the final five minutes of the quarter. Kaitlin Pellechia one-timed a pass from McGinty into the back of the net for her ninth goal of the season. Montgomery completed the hat trick with 55 seconds left in the frame. With six seconds left in the quarter, Davis beat Goodsell for her 12th goal of the season.
Fiorentino opened the second quarter with her second goal of the season. William Smith extended the lead to 8-2 with a pair of goals from Pellechia and Anna Murphy. Pellechia’s 10th goal of the season was assisted by McMahon. Murphy’s 21st goal of the season was set up by McGinty. O’Dea pocketed her 10th goal of the season to make it 8-3 with 5:39 remaining in the half.
The Herons opened the second half the way they started the game. Murphy dunked home a shot for her 22nd goal of the season. Davis was awarded an assist on the goal. Twelve seconds later, Davis pocketed her 13th goal of the season. The Cardinals scored the game’s next three goals to make it a four-goal game. Bianca Giacona bounced a shot past Smeader for her fourth goal of the season With 4:47 left in the third quarter, Fiorentino slipped a shot past the goalie. Farrah Zalla was credited with an assist on the goal. Just over a minute later, Zallah fired home a free position shot for her third goal of the season. William Smith ended the run on Montgomery’s fourth goal of the game. With 1:10 left in the frame, Fiorentino scored her third goal of the game to make it 11-7, but that was as close as the Cardinals would get. The woman-up goal was assisted by O’Dea. Davis scored a free position goal to make it 12-7 William Smith at the end of 45 minutes.
Montgomery opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back goals, extending the Herons’ lead to seven goals. Her fifth goal of the game was assisted by McMahon. Her sixth tally was assisted by McGinty. With 2:53 left in regulation, Giacona notched her fifth goal of the season off a feed from Carpenter. Less than a minute later, Zalla converted on a free position attempt. Schleicher and Montgomery rounded out the scoring. Schleicher’s third goal of the season was assisted by McGinty. Thirty seconds later, Montgomery pocketed her 28th goal of the season.
William Smith finished the game with a 34-17 edge in shots and a 21-8 advantage in the draw circle. St. John Fisher won the groundball battle 16-13. The Cardinals were 18 for 19 in clear attempts and the Herons were 16 for 18.
William Smith will be back in action Saturday, April 2, when it welcomes Skidmore to Geneva. Opening draw is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Boswell Field at David J. Urick Stadium.
