Mantione’s hat trick sends Herons past Saints 4-0

Junior Rebecca Mantione recorded her first career hat trick as the William Smith College field hockey team cruised to a 4-0 win over St. Lawrence in its conference regular-season finale on McCooey Field this afternoon. The Herons move to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in the conference, while the Saints fall to 3-12 overall with a 0-7 mark in the Liberty League.

Mantione led the Herons with six points on three goals this afternoon. She fired off a team-leading 10 shots, landing seven on target. Sophomore Lily Gutch scored her second goal of the season to help William Smith to a 4-0 win.

The Herons outshot the Saints 30-1 and held a 19-0 advantage in shots on target through 60 minutes of play. Senior Kristen McCormick played 45 minutes in goal for William Smith while senior Brittany Fosterfinished out the game in goal. They combined for zero saves. McCormick moves to 7-4 on the season.

MATCH MOMENTS:

• William Smith opened the scoring at the 7:52 mark after being awarded a penalty corner. Senior Libby Maxwell sent the ball to junior Hannah Huston who stopped the ball for a swinging Mantione. Mantione fired a shot past the Saints goalie for the early lead. Maxwell and Huston were credited with the assists.
• The Herons doubled their lead in the 35th minute. Senior Sydney Foster fired off a shot that was saved by the St. Lawrence goalie, Cara Vredenburg. Gutch dove to get her stick on the ball and poked the ball into the back of the net, giving William Smith a 2-0 lead.
• Just over four minutes later the Herons would strike again. Almost identical to the first goal of the afternoon, Mantione fired off a shot from a penalty corner that beat Vredenburg again. Like the first goal, Maxwell and Huston were credited with the assists.
• 1:32 later, Mantione would complete her first hat trick of her career. Mantione dribbled through three Saints defenders and fired a shot that slipped under Vredenburg’s foot. Mantione’s third goal of the day was her team-leading 10th of the…