The RPI women’s lacrosse team returned to action on Friday as they traveled to Geneva, New York to take on the Herons of William Smith College. The Red Hawks had split its previous four games going 2-2, and looked to get things off on the right foot in this season’s first Liberty League contest.
The first half was very evenly matched with back and forth action as both teams looked to gain any advantage they could. The Herons opened the scoring just over two minutes into the game when junior Jesse McKenna advanced the ball ahead and found teammate Jessica Scott, a senior, with a nice pass for the goal. Shortly after, junior Natalie White of RPI tied things up at one with her tenth goal of the season.
At the 21:44 mark, William Smith held the slightest of leads, 2-1, but it would be short-lived as RPI got two goals, one from junior Morgan Wahl who scored unassisted, and another from sophomore Kerri Clark who blasted home a free position shot, giving Rensselaer its first lead of the game, 3-2.
The Herons scored the next two goals, but the Red Hawks scored three straight times to close out the half, including a goal from freshman Sam Fennessey with just 48 seconds remaining on the game clock. Headed into halftime, the RPI women were up 6-4 and slightly in control thanks to a first half in which six different players found the net, a testament to a strong and balanced team attack.
In the second half both teams traded goals in the first eight minutes. Freshman Molly Fitzgerald found the back of the net for William Smith while junior Carly Strife replied right back with a goal for RPI. However, it was the Herons who came out of the break with fire as they ended up turning the tables on the Red Hawks.
Over the next five minutes William Smith scored four goals, headed by sophomore Nina Sperry who had two, as RPI found itself now down two, 9-7.
The Red Hawks would break the scoring drought at the 15:47 mark when White scored her second goal of the game to put Rensselaer down just one, 9-8, but the Herons closed out the game in dominating fashion with five straight additional goals to take the contest by a final score of 14-8.
Fitzgerald led the way for William Smith, scoring three goals and adding an assist. Sophomore Becky Josefiak played well in goal, collecting nine saves. RPI was paced by Clark who had a goal and two assists. White scored twice, and Fennessey added a goal and an assist. Freshman Ariana Hood started in goal and made eight stops in the first half, while classmate Emily Perkins acquired the responsibility in the second half, and stopped six shots.
The Red Hawks’ record now stands at 2-3 as the women begin to approach the midway stretch of the season. Rensselaer will look to get back on track this Saturday when they take on Nazareth College at 12 pm, again on the road.
