The 13th-ranked William Smith lacrosse team mounted a pair of five-goal surges to take down No. 11 Amherst, 13-12, in a thrilling NCAA second-round matchup at Pratt Field. With the comeback victory, the Herons improved to 14-4 and punched their ticket to the tournament’s third round.
Sophomore Kayla Quirk powered the Herons’ offense with four goals, including the eventual game-winner. Taryn Luzi added a hat trick, while Delaney Cassidy chipped in two goals and dominated the draw circle with seven wins. Goalie Maura Smeader anchored the defense with four saves in a full 60-minute performance.
After falling behind 4-0 early, the Herons flipped the momentum late in the first quarter, igniting a five-goal run led by Luzi and Quirk to take their first lead of the game. A second five-goal burst in the third, once again started by Quirk, pushed William Smith back in front after trailing at halftime.
Amherst tied the game at 11 midway through the fourth, but William Smith responded with back-to-back free-position goals from Quirk and Cassidy to secure the win.
The Herons will face No. 8 York in the NCAA third round on Saturday, May 17. Game time and location are still to be announced.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].