Box Score SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- The Skidmore College field hockey team battled to its fifth Liberty League championship in six years with a 4-3 win against #10 William Smith, Saturday at Wagner Park.
 
The 12th-ranked Thoroughbreds (17-3) finish the season 8-0 at home and hold a record of 64-8 at home since the field was built in 2006.
 
The game was a back-and-forth contest with the teams trading goals until the final minutes.
 
Jenn Hanks netted her second of the postseason to open the scoring at 5:54 with a long-range blast, but William Smith responded in the 10th minute, as Julia Simmons tallied her 11th goal of the season with a lofted shot from the top of the circle.
 
Dani DeGregory restored the Skidmore lead in the 30th minute, dribbling past her defender and ripped a backhand from 12 yards.
 
The Herons responded 26 seconds later as Alessandra Patrizio tipped in Caitlin Moran's shot from the top of the circle.
 
The Thoroughbreds jumped back in front 37 seconds into the second half through Kelly Blackhurst's 99^th career goal.
 
Liberty League tournament MVP Sam Skott beat her defender down the left wing and fed a perfectly weighted pass to Blackhurst, who slotted home a backhand after making a quick move around the goalkeeper.
 
William Smith continued to demonstrate its resilience, bringing the game level in the 52nd from a penalty corner. Magaret McConnell scored her fourth goal is as many games, recovering a loose ball and firing a shot from the top of the circle.
 
With the game looking like it was set for overtime, Skott secured the final lead Skidmore would need at 67:37, redirecting Sam Revera's long-range effort.
 
The Herons threatened late, but Haley McDougall stood tall, making the biggest of her eight saves in the 68th minute, turning away Cory Connolly's close-range effort.
 
William Smith had one final chance from a penalty corner with no time remaining on the clock, but the Skidmore defense was there to deny the scoring opportunity.
 
The Herons outshot the Thoroughbreds 16-14, while Skidmore owned a 9-6 advantage in penalty corners.
 
With the win, Skidmore advances to its seventh straight and 13th overall NCAA Tournament.
 
 
 
Liberty League All-Tournament Team
 
Julia Simmons – William Smith
Kelly Blackhurst – Skidmore
Alessandra Patrizio - William Smith
Dani DeGregory – Skidmore           
Taylor Cappello - William Smith
Jenn Hanks - Skidmore
William Smith – Margaret McConnell
Sam Skott – Skidmore          
Morgan Antanasio – William Smith
Pauline Searles - Skidmore
Haley McDougall - Skidmore
 
Liberty League Tournament MVP
 
Sam Skott - Skidmore