Box Score
Game Program
Senior Day Program

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 20, 2012) – Leading 3-0 early in the second half, No. 11 nationally-ranked William Smith scored three goals in a span of 3:38 to break open the game and defeat the Vassar College field hockey team 6-1 in Liberty League action at sunny Weinberg Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Herons (13-2, 6-0) put a damper on Vassar's Senior Day for Ashten Bartz and Rebecca Smith. William Smith, who clinched the top seed in the Liberty League playoffs on Friday with a 4-2 victory over Rensselaer, had 35 shots, 24 of those coming in the first half. The Brewers earned 17 of their 20 shots in the second half, including a goal by Smith at the 62 minute mark that helped Vassar avoid the shutout.

Now 7-7, 0-5 on the season, Vassar will next travel to Scranton for a 7:00 pm game on Tuesday, October 23. William Smith next hosts Hamilton October 24 at 5:30 pm.

The Herons put immense pressure on Vassar junior goalie Maggie Brelis, who made nine saves in the game. William Smith scored both of its first half goals in the final five minutes of play, getting one from junior Melanie O'Connor and senior Annie Kietzman at the 30 and 32 minute marks respectively. Five of William Smith's six goals had assists and four different players figured into the scoring column.

Madison Finn, O'Connor, Erin Miller and Sarah Thompson all had second half goals for William Smith, all coming within seven minutes starting at the 39:52 mark.

Vassar capitalized on William Smith's goalie substitution at the 23 minute mark when the Herons starter sophomore Catherine Hare (11-0, 6-0) was replaced by senior Taryn Little. In the final 23 minutes of play, Smith, junior Cameron Felt and freshman Bianca Zarrella hovered around the goal, with Smith finally notching her eighth goal of the season on her sixth shot  from the top of the arc. Little made eight saves for William Smith in 23:40 of action.

A highlight of the first half for the Brewers was the unabashed play of Zarrella, who at the 11:48 mark nearly put Vassar on the board when she threaded her way through the entire William Smith defense. With the Herons goal unattended by Hare, Zarella had her lunging shot go inches wide of the cage. Zarella had four shots in the game.