Box Score | RPI Athletics on Instagram

TROY, N.Y. - Hannah Wood scored three times with an assist and Maura Moran had two goals and two assists to lead the No. 11 William Smith College field hockey team to a 5-1 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the Liberty League opener for both schools. The Herons improve to 6-1 overall, while the Engineers fall to 4-3.

Wood (Sidney, NY / Sidney) and Moran (Garwood, NJ / Arthur L. Johnson), both juniors, accounted for all of William Smith's points and seven of their nine shots on goal. Wood, who had five shots on the cage, now has 12 goals on the season, while Moran has six.

The visitors took the lead at 7:39 of the first half when Wood collected a Moran pass and drilled a hard shot from just inside the scoring circle past RPI goalkeeper Rachel Kaufman (Morristown, NJ / Morristown), who had come out to cut down the angle. Moran scored six minutes later on a penalty stroke.

Rensselaer pulled to within 2-1 with a penalty stroke goal of its own at the 20 minute mark, thanks to junior Kate Batzinger (Niskayuna, NY / Niskayuna), who scored for the first time this season. RPI held an 11-5 advantage in shots and a 5-1 lead in penalty corners through the first 35 minutes. 

William Smith made it a 4-1 lead with a pair of goals within four minutes of each other in the second half. Wood scored off a corner from Moran at 43:59 and then Moran tallied off a Wood shot at 47:45. Wood added her hat trick goal at 57:29, collecting a rebound of her own shot and chipping it in.

The Herons, who were outshot 17-13, got seven saves from senior Biz Chirco (Weedsport, NY / Weedsport), while Kaufman stopped four shots. Mikaela DiBello (Mahopac, NY / Mahopac) added a defensive save for the Engineers, who had a 12-7 lead in penalty corners. 

RPI is back in action on Wednesday when it host Castleton University in a non-league game (6pm). William Smith travels to SUNY Cortland on Wednesday for a 5pm contest.