April 13, 2007

Sarah Goodkind stung the Yellowjackets for four goals. (Photo by Ken DeBolt)

GENEVA, N.Y.—The 14th-ranked William Smith lacrosse team used a fast start to pick up its fourth consecutive win, knocking off Rochester 14-8 in a Liberty League contest on McCooey Field. First-year Sarah Goodkind (Millbrook School/Riverside, Conn.) led the Herons with a game-high four goals.

Senior Sarah Dillon (Blair Academy/Oldwick, N.J.) and first-year Molly Fitzgerald (Gould Academy/Sudbury, Mass.) both contributed three goals and an assist in the first half for the victors. In goal, junior Morgan Baird (Pingree School/Gloucester, Mass.) picked up her fourth win of the season with 14 saves, seven in each half.

Goodkind opened the scoring just 23 seconds into the match with her 12th goal of the season. Little more than a minute later, sophomore Michaela Parnell (Guilford/Guilford, Conn.) scored on a free position shot to give William Smith a 2-0 lead.

Rochester (2-6, 2-3 Liberty League) got on the board at the 7:31 mark when senior Christina Montano (Rush-Henrietta/Henrietta, N.Y.) set up sophomore Abby Woodward (Pittsford Sutherland/Pittsford, N.Y.). Woodward led the Yellowjackets with three goals, while Montano added two scores and an assist.

Fitzgerald sparked a 4-0 Heron run by collecting the ensuing draw and racing straight to the cage. Her 18th goal of the season came just 10 seconds after Woodward’s tally. Goodkind, Dillon, and Fitzgerald scored in succession to balloon the William Smith lead to 6-1 before the contest was 11 minutes old.

Rochester interrupted the run with a solitary goal, followed by three Heron scores to raise William Smith’s advantage to 9-2 at the 20:41 mark. The teams traded goals over the final nine minutes of the half to send the Herons (8-2, 5-0) into the break with a 10-3 lead.

After the intermission, Rochester managed to creep within five on three separate occasions, but could not get back in contention.

William Smith dominated the draw controls, claiming 17 of the contest’s 24 restarts. Junior Rachel Stahl (C.W. Baker/Baldwinsville, N.Y.) led the way with a game-high six draws. The Yellowjackets held a slim 33-32 edge on shots, while the Herons claimed a 22-21 lead on ground balls. The Yellowjackets held a slim 33-32 edge on shots, while the Herons claimed a 22-21 lead on ground balls.

Rochester sophomore goalie Leslie Dube (Marcellus/Skaneateles, N.Y.) finished the day with 10 saves.

William Smith is back in action on April 14, when the Herons host ninth-ranked Hamilton. William Smith holds a half game lead over the Continentals (7-2, 4-0) in the Liberty League standings. Rochester will host Hamilton in its next contest on April 17.

Back to William Smith Lacrosse