William Smith College scored a goal in each half and the Herons hung on for a 2-1 win against the Hamilton College Continentals in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship at William Smith's Cozzens Field on Sunday afternoon.

Nationally ranked No. 17 Hamilton (14-3-2 overall) was in the second round of the NCAA championship for the first time since 2010 after the Continentals defeated Johnson & Wales University 3-2 on Saturday in Geneva, N.Y. The 14 wins are the third-highest total for one season in team history.

The third-ranked Herons (18-1-1) will play Misericordia University in the third round on Saturday, Nov. 20. William Smith extended its win streak to 17 matches.

Hamilton's Rylie Mutton '23 scored her eighth goal this season and finished with a team-high 22 points. Caity Smith '23 was solid in goal with six saves.

Mutton generated the Continentals' first scoring chance with a great individual effort in the eighth minute. She dribbled into the box and down to the end line left of the net. Her shot from a sharp angle rolled along the goal line and harmlessly across the end line past the right post.

In the 13th minute, a high, hard shot by Hamilton's Caroline Dawson '23 was next as her high, hard shot from the left side of the six-yard box was caught by Amanda Kesler (four saves) in the 13th minute. A twisting long shot by the Herons' Sheila McQuillen hit the crossbar in the 16th minute.

William Smith broke the ice In the 36th minute. After sustained pressure in and around the 18-yard box, Seneca Blakely-Armitage turned and took a shot that deflected off a defender to Katrine Berg. Smith had no chance to stop Berg's hard one-timer from about 10 yards out.

The Continentals came back out after halftime with a sense of urgency as they registered five shots and two corner kicks in the opening five minutes of the second half. The Herons weathered the storm and Julia Keogh gave them a 2-0 cushion with her 21st goal this season in the 72nd minute.

Mutton cut Hamilton's deficit in half with 11:07 left. Dawson's cross from near the end line left of the goal bounced through the six-yard box into space. Mutton ran onto it and buried a hard shot past Kesler, who had come off her line, from about 10 yards out. Dawson picked up her fifth assist and ninth point this fall.

The Continentals' comeback hopes took a huge hit six minutes after their goal when Mutton was issued a red card and Hamilton had to play down a player the last five minutes. Despite the disadvantage, Hyla Mosher '23 was able to drive a high shot on net that Kesler was forced to turn away with about four minutes remaining.

William Smith owned a 14-12 shot advantage and took five corner kicks to three for the Continentals.