 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
No. 7 Herons top No. 16 Diplomats in season-opener
March 17, 2005
WELLINGTON, Fla.—The William Smith College lacrosse team jumped ahead 2-0 in the early going, but Bowdoin College scored the next five goals to hand the Herons their first loss of the season, 6-4. Senior attacker Tracy Genovese (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.) led William Smith with two goals and an assist.
Starting the game in a driving rainstorm, the Herons came out strong in the early going. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Dillon (Blair Academy/Oldwick, N.J.) and Genovese connected to start the scoring for William Smith. Genovese made it 2-0 minutes later off an assist from first-year midfielder Rachel Stahl (Charles W. Baker/Baldwinsville, N.Y.).
The Polar Bears broke into the scoring column about halfway through the first stanza and never looked back, notching five unanswered goals to take a 5-2 lead into the break.
Bowdoin’s Taylor White (Milton Academy/Wellesley, Mass.) finished the contest with a game-high three goals.
Trailing by three to start the second half, Genovese fired home a free position shot to cut the Polar Bears’ lead to two. Holding off the Bowdoin attack with stifling defense and strong goalkeeping from first-year Morgan Baird (Pingree School/Gloucester, Mass.), junior defender Jessica Tanner (Guilderland/Schenectady, N.Y.) made it a one-goal game, 5-4, with a free position goal.
The Herons couldn’t get any closer as the Polar Bears iced the two-goal victory with a score in the closing minutes.
In the cage, first-year goaltenders Adele Hayward (Hyde School/Windchester, Mass.) and Baird each played a half for the Herons, while Kendall Cox (Choate Rosemary Hall/Guilford, Conn.) earned the win for Bowdoin.
Seventh-ranked William Smith (1-1) returns to action on March 25, when Liberty League opponent Clarkson University visits McCooey Field at 4 p.m.