Women's Lacrosse | 5/20/2023 4:16:04 PM
GENEVA, NY - The No. 19 St. John Fisher University women's lacrosse team (17-3) had its 12-game winning streak snapped, falling to No. 3 William Smith College (20-0) by a 6-5 score in the third round of the 2023 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament from Cozzens Field on Saturday afternoon.
William Smith's Maddie Montgomery scored five goals, including the game-winning tally on a free position attempt with 2:10 remaining in regulation which snapped a 5-5 tie. William Smith earned the following draw control and was able to take 80 seconds off the clock before a shot clock turnover. The Cardinals would hold for one final shot but Montgomery caused a turnover and the Herons were able to run out the clock and advance to Sunday's NCAA National Quarterfinal game against Tufts University.
In what was a back-and-forth, evenly played affair, William Smith out-shot St. John Fisher 18-16. The Herons were 16-of-22 on clears, while St. John Fisher was 16-for-21. Willam Smith turned the ball over 23 times, while Cardinals had 20 turnovers. William Smith also won the draw control battle, 11-4.
Sydney Carpenter led the Cardinals offensively with two goals to go along with two ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls. She finishes the 2023 season with a program and Empire 8 record 182 draw controls. Mary Fiorentino had a goal and an assist, while Mykenzie Black and Cara Landry also scored.
Defensively, the Cardinals, who entered the game with the top scoring defense in all of Division III, allowing just 5.26 goals per game, held Wiliam Smith, the 13th highest scoring offense in the nation to 10 goals fewer than its season average. St. John Fisher forced 23 Herons turnovers. Maddie Lowney and Shannon Foster, along with Black, Carpenter had two caued turnovers each. Lowney also added two draw controls.
In goal, Lilly Goodsell made six saves, recorded a game-high five ground balls and caused a pair of turnovers.
Montgomery was the star for William Smith, accounting for all six goals, scoring five and assisting on the other. She now has 78 goals on the season. In addition, Montgomery had five draw controls and three ground balls. Allie McGinty also scored for the Herons. Maura Smeader made four saves in net.
Montgomery tallied a pair of fitst quarter goals before Fisher ran off four straight tallies and kept the Herons off the board for just over 28 minutes of game time, taking a 4-2 lead. Montgomery would score two quick goals in a span of 2:35 late in the third quarter to even the game at 4-4 heading into the fourth quarter. McGinty and Carpenter traded fourth quarter goals before Montgomery's game-winner late in regulation.
This was the second meeting of the season between the two programs, as William Smith also pulled out a one-goal victory, 10-9 at St. John Fisher on March 29.
St. John Fisher is now 10-13 all-time in NCAA Tournament contests. The Cardinals were looking to advance to the NCAA National Quarterfinals for the second time in the last three seasons.
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The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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