GENEVA, N.Y.-William Smith College jumped out to a 2-0 lead and
held off a late charge by Keene State College to post a 2-1 victory
in the first round of the NCAA Division III Field Hockey
Tournament. Junior goalie Katie DeKraker (Staples/Westport, Conn.)
made six saves, including three in the final 8 minutes, to send the
Herons to the regional semifinal round.
William Smith (16-4) carried the play in the first half,
outshooting its guest 8-2. Heron junior forward Katie Mancuso
(Harpursville/Port Crane, N.Y.) nearly opened the scoring in the
12th minute, but first-year defender Kellie Warning's (Putnam
Valley/Putnam Valley, N.Y.) defensive save kept the match
scoreless.
The Herons cracked the scoring column in the 21st minute, when
sophomore Kaitlyn Hamilton (Harpursville/Harpursville, N.Y.) sent a
pass from the center of the circle to the left post that junior
Kelsey Landahl (Pioneer/Delevan, N.Y.) swept home for her 10th goal
of the season.
Keene State (18-6) nearly pulled even in the 23rd minute, but
junior back Charlotte Styer (Governor Mifflin/Mohnton, Pa.) posted
a defensive save of her own, staring down a blast by sophomore
forward Karen Robinson (Quabbin/Phillipston, Mass.).
William Smith led 1-0 at halftime.
After the break, the Herons continued to press the action. In the
45th minute, sophomore midfielder Sarah Palmer (Friends
School/Baltimore, Md.) finished a scramble in front for her fifth
goal in the past six games and a 2-0 William Smith lead.
As the match entered the final 10 minutes, the momentum began to
swing in favor of the Owls. Senior midfielder Marissa Boccaccio
(William H. Hall/Lyme, Conn.) cleaned up a scramble on the left
side of the Heron cage for her fourth goal of the season. The goal
energized her teammates, who got off the final three shots of the
match, but all three ended the same way, kick saves by DeKraker.
"We were knocking on the door, but we just couldn't finish," said
KSC Coach Amy Watson. "This was not a first-round
mismatch. We were right there with them. It's a game we
will look back and say we could've won."
The Owls, who were playing in their fifth NCAA Division III
tournament, have yet to get out of the first round.
Sophomore goalie Vikki Stoessel (Pinkerton Academy/Derry, N.H.)
made five stops for Keene State.
William Smith finished with a 13-8 edge in shots and an 8-5 lead in
penalty corners.
