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Traino sparks attack to lead Herons past Union
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Nikki Traino recorded a career-high six points in a 14-8 win
over Union. |
April 10, 2004
GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College senior Nikki Traino (West Genesee/Syracuse,
N.Y.) turned in a spectacular offensive performance with a career-high
six points on five goals and an assist to lead the Herons to a 14-8 victory
over UCAA rival Union College in women’s lacrosse this afternoon.
The Dutchwomen came into the game unbeaten in league play and sat atop
the standings.
Union (7-3, 5-1 UCAA) first-year Molly Koch (Tabor Academy/Pasadena, Md.) picked up a ground ball off a William Smith turnover and fired it into the net for a 1-0 Dutchwomen lead 2:14 into the game.
Senior attacker Gretchen Lasda (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) erased that Union lead 32 seconds later with an unassisted score, her 34th of the season. Traino netted two more tallies over the course of the next 2:27 for a 3-1 Heron lead.
The Dutchwomen responded with a run of their own, notching three of next four goals, including two free position scores from Molly Flanagan (Loomis Chaffee/Simsbury, Conn.), to even the score at four with 18 minutes left to play in the opening half.
Flanagan led all Union scorers with three points and two goals in the game.
Lasda and Traino regained the momentum for the Herons (9-1, 3-1 UCAA), closing out the half with a combined four goals, for a 9-6 William Smith advantage after the first 30 minutes.
Lasda finished the afternoon with five goals for the third consecutive game and her seventh straight contest with at least five points.
Union opened the second session with an unassisted goal from Corinne Hennessy (Choate/Mahopac, N.Y.) to pull within two, but the Heron defense put the clamps on any idea of a Dutchwomen comeback, as William Smith got five goals from five different players to pull away for good.
Union held a 30-26 advantage on shots and a 38-26 edge in ground balls, but struggled with the suffocating William Smith defense, finishing the day 10-of-21 on clears.
Senior goaltender Becca Splain (Middlebury Union/Middlebury, Vt.) was spectacular once again, stopping 13 shots, while Corey Bralower (Bullis School/Potomac, Md.) and Rachel Beckman (Needham/Needham, Mass.) combined for seven stops for Union.
The ninth-ranked Herons return to action on April 13, traveling to 13th-ranked Hamilton College for a 5 p.m., draw.