Box Score Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – #6 Skidmore scored a pair of goals in the final 1:37 to defeat Vassar 3-2 in Friday's Liberty League field hockey matchup at Thoroughbred Field.
 
The Thoroughbreds improve to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Brewers fall to 4-2 and 0-1.  Skidmore has now won 18 straight Liberty League games and 26 straight regular season home games.
 
Lauren Wiebe got the scoring started for Vassar at 19:10 in the first half as she picked up a loose ball at the top of the circle and blasted it home past Thoroughbred keeper Haley McDougall.  Neither team was able to score for the remainder of the half as the Brewers took a 1-0 lead into the break.
 
Kelly Blackhurst tied it up at 1-1 when she redirected a shot from Sofia San Marco for her tenth of the season at 56:27.  With the game looking like it was heading towards overtime, Vassar retook the lead as Tina Caso redirected a Dara Davis shot for her first of the season with just 4:15 remaining.
 
Skidmore answered right back as they continued to pressure and earn corners.  Blackhurst blasted a shot from the left wing that Annie Weis redirected to the top of the cage with 1:37 remaining to tie it at 2-2.  The Thoroughbreds came right back and earned another corner with just five seconds remaining.  After inserting the corner, Weis took a pass from Blackhurst and sent it across the circle to Dani DeGregory who put it home for the game winner and her third of the season.
 
McDougall finished with five saves for Skidmore.  Maggie Brelis made 10 stops for the Brewers, while Kerrin Poole had three defensive saves.  Hillary McDonnell added two defensive saves and Enya Cunningham also had a defensive stop.
 
The Thoroughbreds outshot Vassar 31-10 and held a 35-10 advantage in penalty corners.

"The Skidmore Thoroughbreds showed grit and determination, and got it done in the nick of time to defeat Vassar in Liberty League play" said coach Beth Hallenbeck.  "Kelly Blackhurst redirected a shot from Sofia San Marco to tie the game in the second half.  When Vassar went up again the T-bred offense responded. Annie Weis scored the equalizer with 1:37 remaining off a Kelly Blackhurst blast, and then assisted Dani DeGregory on the game winner corner with no time on the clock.  The T-breds dominated the stats but had difficulty solving the defensive wall put up by Vassar.  The tenacity and production under pressure made the difference for Skidmore."
 
Skidmore hosts Union tomorrow at 2 p.m. in another Liberty League contest.
 
 
                       Field Hockey Game Summary (Final)
                       2012 Skidmore College Field Hockey
  Vassar College vs #6 Skidmore College (Sep 21, 2012 at Saratoga Springs, NY)
 
 Vassar College (4-2, 0-1 Liberty) vs. Skidmore College (7-0, 2-0 Liberty)
 Date: Sep 21, 2012  Attendance: 125
 Weather: Sunny, low 70's at start
 
 Goals by period       1  2  Tot
 -------------------------------
 Vassar College......  1  1 -  2
 Skidmore College....  0  3 -  3
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.  19:10 VASSAR Lauren Wiebe (1) Penalty corner - Shot from top
  2.  56:27 SKIDMORE Kelly Blackhurst (11) (Sofia San Marco) - Redirect in front of cage
  3.  65:45 VASSAR Tina Caso (1) (Dara Davis) - Redirect in front off corner
  4.  68:23 SKIDMORE Annie Weis (2) (Kelly Blackhurst) - Deflection on near post
  5.  70:00 SKIDMORE Dani DeGregory (3) (Annie Weis) - Deflection in front off corner
 
 Shots: Vassar College 10, Skidmore College 31
 Saves: Vassar College 16 (Maggie Brelis 10; Team 6), Skidmore College 5 (Haley McDougall 5)