No. 14 SKIDMORE (9-3, 1-0 LL) vs No. 13 Rochester (13-2, 3-1 LL)
Game Details: Friday, Oct. 21 | 3:30 p.m.
Location: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Wagner Park
Game Links: Stats |
Video
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – With the Liberty League playoffs on the horizon, the Skidmore College field hockey team closes its home portion of the schedule, with a crucial matchup against the University of Rochester, on Oct. 21 at 3:30 p.m.
The Thoroughbreds will honor its four seniors in Friday's contest, defender
Becca Halter and midfielders
Kelsey Denby,
Leigh FitzGerald, and
Krista Lamoreaux. The foursome has competed in 79 contests with an impressive record of 61-18, won two Liberty League championships, and participated in two NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2014 and a Final Four appearance in 2013.
This game will also serve as the sixth annual Thoroughbreds vs. Cancer event, in an effort to raise cancer awareness. The team will be collecting donations throughout the day, and t-shirts will be sold, with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.
"Cancer has impacted the lives of so many, including our own extended Skidmore Field Hockey family," said head field hockey coach
Beth Hallenbeck. "I encourage everyone to join us in supporting this important cause."
The Thoroughbreds, the 14th-ranked team in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association national poll, come into the matchup as the third seed, with four teams, including Rochester, sporting a 3-1 record in conference play. Skidmore has once again clinched a Liberty League berth after the 5-1 victory last Tuesday at St. Lawrence. Lamoreaux scored two goals, adding an assist to lead the Thoroughbreds, with
Seeley Fancher,
Becca Halter, and
Gabby Hyman also tallying goals, and
Marissa Folts and
Kayla Rose tallying an assist each.
Elizabeth Coughlin needed just two saves to pick up her 10th victory.
On Saturday, The Thoroughbreds fell 2-1 to Vassar, to force a four-way tie in the league standings.
Gabby Hyman scored the lone goal for the Thoroughbreds, her 17th of the season, which is second in the league. The sophomore forward has tallied seven goals in the team's last six contests, and has scored at least a goal in five of the six games. Lamoreaux recently made history, scoring her 100
th point against Union on Oct. 1. The senior has 103 points in her career on 34 goals and 35 assists, good for 15th on the all-time scoring list, and eighth on the all-time assist list.
SCOUTING ROCHESTER (13-2, 3-1 Liberty League)
The 13th-ranked Yellowjackets come into the matchup as the league leaders, winning the last three contests. In wins over RPI, then-No. 15 William Smith, and Elmira, Rochester has outscored its competition 9-1. With non-league common opponents, the Yellow Jackets have defeated Nazareth and Cortland, but fell to St. John Fisher on Oct. 4.
Rochester is led offensively by Callie Fisher, who is fifth in the league with 24 points, tallying eight goals and six assists. Claire Dickerson is right behind her with seven goals, good for 10th in the league. Kiran Sundaram and Gabrielle Cantley have split the goaltending duties for Rochester, combining with the defense to give the Yellowjackets a 0.80 goals against average per game, good for second in the league. Cantley has the slight edge stat-wise, with a 0.69 goals against average and an 8-0 record, to Sundaram's 0.96 goals against average, and a 5-2 record.
LAST TIME OUT – Last season, Rochester defeated the Thoroughbreds, 2-0 in the Liberty League Semifinals on Nov. 4. Earlier that season, the Yellowjackets defeated Skidmore by the same score, also at Rochester, on Oct. 23.
