PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – University of Rochester field hockey defeated St. Lawrence University, 3-1, on Saturday at Edwin Fauver Stadium to stretch their winning streak to six games, and down their third-straight Liberty League foe.
 
Delainey Hebble got the Yellowjackets' offense going just 1:52 into the first quarter, forcing a defensive save by Morgan Misiaszek to keep UR off the scoreboard.
 
Following a penalty corner, the 'Jackets added two more shots off Zoe Conomikes and Maeve Fogarty's sticks, as Rochester outshot St. Lawrence, 5-0 in the first quarter, and 22-0 in the first half.
 
Cara Vredenburg and the Saints' defense would hold Rochester off the scoreboard in the first, but the 'Jackets would find the back of the net shortly into the second.
 
Playing up a woman after Cricket Barnes drew a green card, the 'Jackets earned one of their 15 penalty corners on the day in the 24th minute. Mara Heppard's pass off the corner found Vivianna Arnold on the right wing, whose shot was tipped in by Mercer to give Rochester a 1-0 lead.
 
Less than two minutes later, the Yellowjackets peppered Vredenburg with another volley, with Karina Bridger's opening shot off a penalty corner hitting the post, and then shots by Heppard and another by Bridger were saved.
 
In the 28th minute though, Mercer broke through again, scoring on an assist from Bridger as she shoved a bouncing ball past the keeper to extend UR's lead to 2-0.
 
Maeve Fogarty then sent in four of the next five Yellowjackets shots at Vredenburg, including three straight in a short span as Rochester looked to make it 3-0. But Vredenburg made seven saves down the stretch, totaling 24 on the afternoon, to keep UR's lead at just two heading into the half.
 
Just 2:21 into the second half though, Rochester made it a three-goal lead, as Mercer, again off Arnold's assist, tapped it in from two yards out to make it a 3-0 lead.
 
The Yellowjackets continued their offensive push, outshooting the Saints 8-0 in the third, but five saves and a blocked shot kept UR's lead at just three.
 
And then just 22 seconds into the fourth, Jenny L'Hommedieu got the Saints on the scoreboard, deflecting a shot off a Rochester defender's stick to cut the 'Jackets' lead to 3-1.
 
Rochester looked to answer, but Fogarty's shot went wide, while Suzanne L'Hommedieu's shot on the other end couldn't connect as well.
 
Down the final stretch, Rochester controlled possession and kept St. Lawrence without another shot, adding four more shots in the final 15 before finishing off the 3-1 victory.
 
With the win, Rochester moves to 10-2 (3-0 LL) on the year, winning at least 10 games for the 15th-straight year under Head Coach Wendy Andreatta, while St. Lawrence drops to 4-7 (0-3 LL).
 
Fogarty led UR with 10 shots, seven of which were on goal, while Mercer scored all three goals for the Yellowjackets, taking four shots. As a team, UR outshot St. Lawrence, 35-2, and 27-1 on goal.
 
In goal for Rochester, Helen Schmitter and Kara Houston combined to allow just one goal, with Schmitter playing the first 45, and Houston finishing out the match.
 
Rochester next travels to Mechanicsburg, Pa. for a neutral-site contest against No. 3-ranked Salisbury University on Monday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m.