POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (October 12, 2019) – A four-goal second half powered William Smith College to a 4-1 victory over Vassar College in Liberty League action on Saturday afternoon. The win moves the fourth-ranked Herons to 9-1-1 overall and 5-0-0 in conference action. The Brewers slip to 5-6-1 on the season with a 2-2-0 mark in the Liberty League.
Following a scoreless first half, which saw the Herons own a 4-2 margin in overall shots, the two teams headed into the second stanza with offense on their minds. The breakthrough came first for the visitors as sophomore defender Caitlin Hatt (Natick, MA) set up for the corner. Sending a short pass in, senior defender Maialen Martinez (San Sebastian, Spain) corralled the ball, ducking around a pair of defenders for a high shot from the near corner of the box in the 65th minute.
The Herons added to their lead 10 minutes later as junior forward Sheila McQuillen (Natick, MA) carried it down the middle, sending a pass out to freshman forward Katrine Berg (Charlottesville, VA), who fired it in from 12-yards out for the 2-0 score.
Vassar senior midfielder
Savannah Cutler (Deer Park, TX) pulled the Brewers back to within one in the 78th minute after she scored her second goal in the last three games off the corner. Setting up on the far side of the field, Cutler sent a long, rounding kick in that slid into the right corner of the net.
The Herons didn't wait long to make it a two-goal margin once again as Berg carried the ball down the far right side. She outpaced a defender, crossing to the middle. Junior forward Mariah Deschino (Cape Elizabeth, ME) then outstepped her own defender and lobbed a shot into the left side of the net in the 81st minute for the 3-1 score.
William Smith added the final goal in the 88th minute after senior forward Genevieve Carpenter (Kings Park, NY) fired a high shot in on goal that went over the reach of Vassar goalie
Fiona Walsh (Hackettstown, NJ). Freshman forward Grace Gillian (South Portland, ME) was credited with the assist off her cross to the top of the box.
The Herons finished with a 17-8 final margin in shots, also owning a 9-3 edge in corner kicks.
In goal, sophomore Amanda Kesler (Winchester, VA) recorded three saves in the victory, while Walsh shouldered the loss with four stops on the afternoon.
Both teams return to Liberty League action next Friday as Vassar travels to St. Lawrence (4pm), while William Smith hosts RPI (4pm).
