TROY, N.Y. – Another balanced scoring effort for the Skidmore College field hockey team led to a Liberty League postseason berth, clinching a spot thanks to a 3-1 victory at Rensselaer on Harkness Field Sunday afternoon.
 
The Thoroughbreds clinch a playoff berth with the victory, remaining undefeated after five league contests. Skidmore also wins its fifth in a row to improve to 11-4 overall. The Thoroughbreds will earn a regular season title outright if they can get past Rochester on the road Friday afternoon.
 
After winning its first league contest on Friday against St. Lawrence, RPI falls to 1-4 in league play and 2-11 overall.
 
The Thoroughbreds, ranked 16^th in the latest Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association rankings, found balance in its offense to earn the victory. After earning a penalty corner 3:27 into the contest, Marissa Folts found fellow defender Kayla Rose eight seconds later, as Rose took a shot past the goalie in front of net.
 
Nearly seven minutes later, on another corner attempt, Seeley Fancher found Sarah Winters, as Winters put her attempt past the goalie for her sixth of the season.
 
The Engineers cut the deficit in half early in the second period. Jenna Dolinar found Mikaela DiBello for her fifth goal of the year at 41:57. But Skidmore struck again, getting an insurance goal in the 49^th minute. Toni Hamilton tallied her first career assist and point, finding Miranda Davenport for the goal.
 
With RPI pressing to narrow the deficit, the Skidmore defense stood strong, deflecting a pair of shots and relying on three saves by starter Elizabeth Coughlin in the final 13:49. Coughlin was busy in net, making eight saves to earn her fourth straight decision.
 
RPI outshot the Thoroughbreds 16-7 in the contest and earned 11 corners to Skidmore's seven.
 
The Thoroughbreds head west in their next contest, facing No. 19 Rochester in the battle for the league's regular season title, on Friday at 4 p.m.