Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.- In a match-up of two top-10 teams, the William Smith Herons edged the York College women's lacrosse squad 11-10 in overtime on Saturday in Geneva, New York.
The game was played inside the Poole and Family Sports Dome.
The match was back and forth the entire afternoon. After a high scoring first quarter, the game settled in and became a defensive battle.
The third-ranked Herons improve to 2-0 while the #7 Spartans fall to 0-2 with a pair of top-six losses.
 
How it Happened
• The first quarter was a high-scoring back and forth affair. The Herons would score and the Spartans would follow. William Smith's Natalie Daniels opened the scoring less than two minutes in as she converted the free position goal. Zoe Kluegel evened the score a mere 21 seconds later. The Herons responded with a Maddie Montgomery goal 42 seconds after Kluegel's tally. Gianna Huet tied the game for a second time at the 9:56 mark with her second goal of the year.
• Daniels struck again for William Smith to put the Herons up 3-2. York's Sydney Mentzer tied the game for a third time with a free position goal. Huet notched her second goal of the day for the Spartans as York took their first lead at 4-3. Montgomery recorded her second goal of the day with 4:12 left in quarter. Molly Davis tallied a man-up goal with 1:50 left before Kluegel ended the quarter with her second goal of the day with 27 seconds left in the quarter.
• The second quarter lacked the offensive fireworks of the first as the teams combined for three goals. Montgomery scored her third goal of the game with 5:32 remaining in the half. Davis scored her second goal just 50 seconds later to put the Herons up 7-5. Madison Kurland converted a big opportunity on the man-up as she got a pass from Huet to draw the Spartans to within one at 7-6 at the half.
• The Spartans were able to flip the script in the third as they scored two of the three goals in the period. Mentzer notched her second free position goal of the game to tie the game at seven. Daniels answered for the Herons to put them back up one but Huet found the back of the net with just ten seconds left in the period to knot the game at eight.
• York recaptured the lead just 59 seconds into the fourth as Jen Campbell scored off a pass from Kurland. The Herons tied the game for the eighth time as Montgomery scored with 8:57 left. Daniels notched her fourth goal of the game on a spin move with 4:47 remaining in regulation. The Spartans tied the game for a ninth time when Mentzer won the draw and the Green and White saw Kluegel find the back of the net off a pass from Kurland 27 seconds after the Herons took the lead.
• Both teams got shots off in each of their ensuing possession but both shots were wide. The Spartans forced a shot clock violation with 22 seconds left in regulation. After a Spartan timeout, York was able to get a clear but were unable to get the ball inside their offensive third as the teams headed to an extra session.
• York's Kluegel won the draw and got the first shot as Huet just slid a pass wide 17 seconds into the overtime. York got a second shot by Campbell that was saved nicely by Heron goalie Maura Smeader. The Herons cleared the ball and Daniels was able to score despite falling into the crease. After a lengthy discussion from the officials, they gave the goal signal and the game was over in heartbreaking fashion for the Spartans.
 
By The Numbers
The Herons out shot the Spartans 31-25 in the game including 21-18 in shots on goal … William Smith had a 17-14 advantage in ground balls … both teams committed 14 turnovers while both teams had nine caused turnovers … the Herons had a 14-11 margin in draw controls.
 
Spartan Notes
The meeting was just the second in program history as each team has a home victory … the last meeting came in the 2020 season as York downed the Herons 13-5, one game before the season came to a premature end thanks to the COVID pandemic … there were nine ties and nine lead changes in the game … York had just three assists and now have four assists on their 20 goals for the year … York was significantly better in the clear on Saturday after going 13-for-22 against Franklin and Marshall as York was 21-for-22 on the clear against the Herons … Gianna Huet led the way for the Spartans as she had four points on three goals and one assist … Zoe Kluegel added three goals and one draw which started the overtime … Madison Kurland chipped in with a goal and two assists for York … Kurland also had a ground ball, a draw and a caused turnover … Sydney Mentzer add two free position goals while she also had a ground ball, five draw controls and one caused turnover … Jen Campbell added a goal in the game … Bella Garabo registered 10 saves in the game … the double digit saves marks the tenth time in her career that she has reached double figures in stops.
 
Up Next
The Spartans continue their three-game road trip as they head to Haverford for a non-conference contest on Wednesday afternoon. First draw is set for 3:00 pm.