GENEVA, N.Y. – The nationally ninth-ranked William Smith women's lacrosse team built a 9-2 lead at the half and earned a 13-5 victory versus 14th-ranked Cortland Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at the Poole Family Sports Dome. The Red Dragons dropped to 1-1, while the Herons improved to 2-0.

Sophomore Gabby Meager (Syracuse/West Genesee) led Cortland with a goal and an assist. Graduate student Lauren Hopsicker (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake), senior Rachel Janis (Laurel/Mattituck), junior Toni Cashman (East Moriches/Westhampton Beach) and freshman Rachel Rempe (Aquebogue/Riverhead) each netted a goal.

Freshman goalie Margaret Morgan (New Fairfield, CT) turned aside 12 shots for the Red Dragons. Meager secured eight draw controls and three ground balls, graduate student Amy Hoeffner (Bay Shore) won four draws and graduate student Kayla Sweeney (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) collected three ground balls.

Maddie Montgomery led all players with five points on four goals and an assist to pace the William Smith offense. Katherine Murray and Payton McMahon each scored three goals. Allie McGinty recorded a goal and three assists, and Molly Davis and Chloe McGlynn added a goal.

Goalie Maura Smeader made 10 saves. Livvy Von Heill recorded four ground balls and four caused turnovers. Kate Risley contributed five ground balls and two caused turnovers.

The Herons jumped out to a 5-0 lead with 4:06 remaining in the first quarter as Montgomery and McMahon each scored twice. Meager ended the run with her fourth goal of the season, but William Smith answered with four of the next five goals to grab the 9-2 lead at the break.

The Red Dragons cut their deficit to 11-5 after the third quarter as Cashman, Rempe and Hopsicker tallied goals. The Herons, however, scored the two lone goals early in the fourth quarter and went on to secure the 13-5 win.

Cortland dominated draw controls, holding a 15-6 advantage, but the Red Dragons lost the turnover battle, 19-10.

William Smith 13, Cortland 5

Team                     1-2-3-4       Final
Cortland                1-1-3-0            5
William Smith        6-3-2-2          13

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Gabby Meager 1-1, Lauren Hopsicker 1-0, Rachel Janis 1-0, Rachel Rempe 1-0, Toni Cashman 1-0
William Smith: Maddie Montgomery 4-1, Katherine Murray 3-0, Payton McMahon 3-0, Allie McGinty 1-3, Molly Davis 1-0, Chloe McGlynn 1-0, Kaitlin Pellechia 0-1, Kate Colvin 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Margaret Morgan, 12 saves (13 GA in 60:00)
William Smith: Maura Smeader, 10 saves (5 GA in 60:00)

Shots: William Smith 32, Cortland 19
Ground Balls: William Smith 24, Cortland 13
Clears: William Smith 21-of-22, Cortland 13-of-17
Draw Controls: Cortland 15, William Smith 6
Caused Turnovers: William Smith 11, Cortland 4
Turnovers: Cortland 19, William Smith 10

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 1-1 (ranked 14th nationally in Div. III); William Smith (Herons) 2-0 (ranked 9th nationally in Div. III)