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Herons ground Red Hawks, 7-6, with stingy defense
April 23, 2005
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Senior Kate Bickford tallied a game-high
three goals to help the Herons to a 7-6
win over RPI on Senior Day. |
GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College held visiting Rensselaer scoreless for the final 28:47 and scored the game’s final three goals to earn a 7-6 victory in Liberty League women’s lacrosse action this afternoon on McCooey Field. Heron senior Kate Bickford (Lincoln School/Providence, R.I.) tallied a game-high three goals to help send William Smith’s six seniors out with a win in their final career home game.
RPI (5-6, 4-4 Liberty League) opened the scoring with a tally from first-year Natalie White just 15 seconds into the contest. William Smith sophomore Sarah Dillon (Blair Academy/Oldwick, N.J.) responded just over a minute later, connecting on a Katie Maloney (St. Anthony’s School/Kings Park, N.Y.) pass to tie the game at one.
Kate Phillips (Saratoga/Wilton, N.Y.) put the Red Hawks ahead against at the 26:16 mark, but Bickford and Dillon netted three unanswered to give the Herons a 4-2 lead midway through the first session.
Needing the victory to advance to the Liberty League tournament, Rensselaer broke through with a four-goal run over a span of 12:39 and a 6-4 lead with 28:47 left in the second half. First-year Morgan Wahl (Lexington/Lexington, Mass.) and senior Hillary Lahn (Albert Einstein/Silver Spring, Md.) were responsible for all four goals, scoring two apiece.
The Heron defense took control from that point on, putting the clamps on the RPI attack, allowing just six shots in the final 28-plus minutes. Meanwhile, the William Smith defense went to work as well, pulling to within one at the 27:30 mark on a free position goal by Maloney.
Still trailing by one with less than 10 minutes left in the half, Bickford came up big again, firing home her third goal of the game and 28th of the season to tie the score with 9:16 on the clock. Senior Ali Herter (Brooks School/Topsfield, Mass.) provided the assist.
Earning a free position attempt four minutes later, junior defender Jessica Tanner (Guilderland/Schenectady, N.Y.) rifled her shot into the top corner for what proved to be the game-winner.
Dillon finished the game with a pair of goals and an assist, while Maloney chipped in three points as well (1-2). The Red Hawks were led by first-year Wahl and Lahn with two goals.
In goal, first-year Adele Hayward (Hyde School/Windchester, Mass.) went the distance, making nine stops, while Meghan Gaul (Upper St. Chair/Pittsburgh, Pa.) made 13 saves for Rensselaer.
The Herons (7-7, 4-4 Liberty League) close out the 2005 season on April 27, traveling to seventh-ranked Cortland for a 4 p.m., game.