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Herons survive another OT thriller
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Sarah Davidson |
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Morgan Baird |
April 14, 2006
GENEVA, N.Y.—Prior to the start of this season, the William Smith College lacrosse team had gone more than a decade without winning in overtime. In the past week, the Herons have sweated out a pair of extra session triumphs.
Defender Sarah Davidson (South Burlington/South Burlington, Vt.) netted the game-winner on a superb individual effort 1:33 into the six-minute overtime and William Smith (7-4, 5-1) held Hamilton College without a shot over the final four minutes for an 8-7 Liberty League victory on McCooey Field this afternoon. Last Friday, the Herons eked out a 12-11 overtime win against Union.
Davidson’s heroic run started on the defensive end. Hamilton (7-3, 4-1) won the opening draw in OT and first-year attacker Kallie Briscoe (Orangeville/Orangeville, Ontario) sent a shot in on Heron goalie Morgan Baird (Pingree School/Gloucester, Mass.). The sophomore made the last of her nine saves on the day and hit Davidson near the defensive restraining line to start the clear. The sophomore used her speed to outrun the Continental pursuit, then twice split a pair of defenders before charging in the from the right side and rifling a shot between goalie Kalley Greer (Anderson/Whitby, Ontario) and her near post. Greer finished with six saves.
A tension-filled affair, the Herons led by as many as two on three separate occasions, including a 4-2 halftime advantage, but the Continentals used a 4-1 second half run capped by first-year midfielder Kate Marek (The Gunnery School/Alexandria, Va.) to grab just their second lead of the game. (Hamilton scored the contest’s first goal.) Marek recorded a game-high four goals.
Trailing 7-6 with just 3:11 remaining in the second half, William Smith junior attacker Hannah Wesley (Avon/Avon, Conn.) fed first-year Caitlin Leone (Auburn/Auburn, N.Y.), who buried her fourth goal of the season to tie the game.
Baird was called on for a pair of crucial stops on Hamilton free position shots in the waning seconds to force OT.
Junior midfielder Jessica Scott (Wayneflete School/Portland, Maine) scored twice for the Herons, while senior attacker Louise Greenwood (Springside School/Wyndmoor, Pa.) and junior midfielder Sarah Dillon (Blair Academy/Oldwick, N.J.) each added a goal and an assist.
William Smith returns to McCooey Field for its final regular season home game on April 18, when the Nazareth Golden Flyers visit Geneva. The opening draw is scheduled for 4 p.m.