SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College field hockey team was unable to get the game-tying goal in the final seconds of regulation, falling to Williams 2-1 at Wagner Park on Tuesday evening.
Skidmore, the 11th ranked team according to the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association weekly polls, fell to 8-3 overall. Williams, which is receiving votes in the latest poll, improved to 7-3.
Gabby Hyman scored the lone goal for the Thoroughbreds in the first half.
Elizabeth Coughlin recorded six saves in net.
Maggie Shilling and Rachel Brissette scored the goals for the Ephs, with Alex Bennett and Hannah Goodrick recording an assist. Margaret Draper made 10 saves in the victory.
Skidmore outshot Williams 21-15, including a 13-4 advantage in the second half. The Thoroughbreds earned 11 penalty corners, to the Ephs' four.
The Ephs struck first in the eighth minute. On a penalty corner attempt, Bennett fed Brissette at the top of the penalty arc, and Brisette's low shot found the net. In the 20th minute, Skidmore knotted up the score. A long pass from midfield found Hyman, who used her speed to beat the last defender on the far side of the field. She got into the penalty arc, beating the goalie to her left.
Skidmore had a chance to take the lead heading to the half. In the 34th minute,
Miranda Davenport's shot was blocked by a Williams defender.
Krista Lamoreaux corralled the rebound and took a shot, but Draper dove forward to make the stop.
Williams took advantage of a corner in the 55th minute to take the lead. After a big Coughlin save on the ensuing shot, Goodrick corralled the rebound, and fed the ball to Shilling, whose shot just got past the goal line, despite the best efforts of the Skidmore defense.
That was the last shot for Williams the rest of the way, as the Thoroughbreds took eight shots to try to tie the game. With just over a minute and a half to play in regulation, Hyman took a shot in the circle, and Draper dove out body first to make the save.
Becca Halter had a chance to win it at the end of regulation off a penalty corner, but Draper got her foot out to keep Williams ahead.
The Thoroughbreds will hit the road to face Utica on Thursday, in a 7 p.m. start.
