Liberty League Championship
Skidmore (7-6-4) vs. Vassar (13-3-2)
Game Details: Saturday, Nov. 5, 1 p.m.
Location: Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Game Links: Live Stats | Video |
Skidmore: Roster | Stats
Vassar: Roster | Stats
 
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— The Skidmore College men's soccer team is back in the Liberty League for a second straight year and the fourth time in program history. The Thoroughbreds hope to beat Vassar and claim the program's first league title and the NCAA tournament bid that comes with the win.
 
Skidmore used penalty kicks to get past top seed Hobart College on Wednesday in the Liberty League semifinal. It was the second straight year the Thoroughbreds eliminated the Statesmen at home. Kevin Santos scored his team-high eighth goal of the season in the 17th minute. The Statesmen evened the score in the 56th minute, forcing overtime and then an extended penalty kick tiebreaker.  Down 4-3, Skidmore's sixth kicker, Tim Spencer tied it 4-4. A Hobart miss led to Austin Okoye's winner. Goalie Derrick Yam
 
SCOUTING SKIDMORE
- The Thoroughbreds have the league's top two offensive threats in Kevin Santos (8 goals, 5 assists, 21 points) and Austin Okoye (7-2—16). The pair has had a hand in 22 of the team's 24 goals.
- Overall nine different players have scored a goal and 15 have at least one point.
- Skidmore has outscored opponents 14-5 in the first half  and has outshot opponents 272-186 this season.
- On defense, Derrick Yam has played every minute in goal this season with six shutouts, a 0.95 goals against average, and .770 save percentage. The back line of Adebare Oyeniyi, Mike Lemnios, Ben Caples, and Ben Poole have been solid, keeping opposing offenses at bay all season.
- In the first match with Vassar, the teams battled to a 1-1 tie. Okoye scored in the 62nd minute and the Mattie Mrlik tied it in the 82nd minute for the Brewers. Yam had seven saves.
- Skidmore is 4-5 all-time in Liberty League postseason play. All three previous championship losses were to St. Lawrence. (2015, 2013, 2006).
 
SCOUTING VASSAR
- This is the third championship appearance and first since 2012 for the Brewers. Vassar won the 2011 title.
- Vassar has won a program record 13 games this season.
- Freshman Mattie Mrlik  Paces Vassar with 29 points (11 goals, seven assists). He has eight multi-point games under his belt so far this season, and has tallied at least a point in 12 of 18 games. Hayden Van Brewer is the league assist leader with 10.
- Goalkeeper Adan Warner has started the past four games for the Brewers, fending away 14 shots for a perfect 4-0-0 mark, including two shutouts. Matt Marcelino has been solid in net for the Brewers, making 42 saves for an 8-3-2 record, including three shutouts.