SCHENECTADY, NY – Behind six goals and three assists from sophomore attack Kristin Joyce (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) the No. 9 Union College women's lacrosse team cruised to an 11-5 victory against No. 14 William Smith (11-3, 6-2), earning them the Liberty League regular season title with an 8-0 conference record. The Dutchwomen (13-2), who last won the regular season during the 2005 season, will host the Liberty League Championship next weekend.

Joyce's nine point effort increased her season goal total to 53 and her point mark to 71. Sophomore attack Chelsea Charette (South Hadley, MA/South Hadley) posted two goals and two assists and senior attack Liz Samore (South Hero, CT/Darien) had a goal and an assist. Junior midfields Allie Cuozzo (Norfolk, MA/King Phillip Regional) and Keelin Skurek (Massillon, OH/Western Reserve Academy) each had goals.

Charette struck first for Union at 28:01 on an unassisted tally, but the Herons answered with three-straight goals to take a 3-1 lead at 14:31. The Dutchwomen responded during the last four minutes of the half, beginning a nine goal run that would continue well into the second half.

Joyce and Charette teamed for goals at 4:02 and 2:55 of the first, and Zamore posted her six goal of the season at 1:56. On the ensuing draw control, Joyce gained control and streaked into the offensive end for her 50th goal of the season. Charette capped the first half scoring with a play setup by Joyve with 12 ticks remaining.

The Dutchwomen continued where they left off with goals from Skurek, two from Joyce and finally one from Cuozzo at 16:07. Joyce put the exclamation point on the win after two straight William Smith goals with a marker of her own at 2:01.

Dutchwomen goaltender Cat Ruggiero (Huntington, NY/Huntington) made six saves for her 11th win of the season. Union collected 34 groundballs and claimed 13 draw controls, while William Smith had 28 groundballs and five draw controls. The Dutchwomen outshot the Herons 29-17.

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SCHENECTADY, N.Y.-The 14th-ranked William Smith lacrosse team got off to a fast start this afternoon, but ninth-ranked Union came roaring back to secure an 11-5 Liberty League victory this afternoon.

The Dutchwomen (13-2, 8-0) opened the day's scoring, but the Herons (11-3, 6-2) countered with three straight tallies. First-year Lucy Johnson got William Smith on the board, finishing a feed from junior Sarah Goodkind. Sixty-seven seconds later, junior Brittany Callaghan gave the Herons the lead. Sophomore Cassie Findlay made it a two-goal game with 14:31 remaining in the first half.

William Smith maintained its 3-1 lead for more than 10 minutes, but Union sophomore attacker Kristin Joyce (6g, 3a) took over in the final 4:02 of the half. The Liberty League's scoring leader had a hand in each of the game's next five goals, scoring three and setting up two more, to send the Dutchwomen into the break with a 6-3 lead.

The defenses ruled the first nine minutes of the second half until Joyce asserted herself again. She assisted on junior midfielder Keelin Skurek's goal with 20:15 remaining, collected the ensuing draw and scored a goal of her own 10 seconds later and ballooned the Union lead to 9-3 with another score at 16:57. Fifty seconds later, junior midfielder Allie Cuozzo completed a 9-0 Union run, putting the home team firmly in control.

Johnson ended William Smith's scoring drought with 7:20 left in the game. The Herons went 37:11 between goals. Junior Molly Fitzgerald assisted on the tally for her only point of the day. First-year Rosie Scheibel scored 85 seconds later, assisted by sophomore Alayna Beebe to make it a 10-5 game.

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2009-04-25