SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A goal by Skidmore College forward
Miranda Davenport 1:36 into overtime lifted the No. 2 Thoroughbreds to a thrilling 2-1 victory over No. 3 Vassar, in the Liberty League Semifinals at Wagner Park on a cold and rainy Wednesday afternoon.
The Thoroughbreds improve to 14-6 overall and will await the winner of No. 1 Rochester and No. 4 William Smith in the other semifinal Wednesday night. Skidmore is a perfect 11-0 all-time in Liberty League home playoff contests, and is an impressive 13-2 in league postseason play since 2008. Skidmore also improves its all-time record against Vassar to 35-13-2 in the 50th meeting between the two schools, and has won the last two matchups.
Vassar finishes its season with an 11-7 record.
With a man-advantage coming into overtime, Skidmore started the period aggressive, trying to get the early winner.
Kayla Rose grabbed the deflection from Vassar and flew upfield, finding Sarah Winters. Winters fed Davenport at the top of the penalty arc, with Davenport firing a hard shot that skipped off the defender's stick, going past diving Vassar goalie Liz Rotolo into the cage, as the Skidmore bench erupted in joy.
Vassar nearly struck first 11 minutes into the game. Off a Brewers penalty corner, Sam Plante got seemingly an open shot on net, but
Marissa Folts got in position to make the defensive save at the goal line. 12 minutes later, the Thoroughbreds responded, firing the opening salvo on the attack.
Marissa Folts fired a long pass towards the net.
Grace Florsheim threw her stick down to redirect the pass, with the ball taking a hop that got under the Vassar goalie, stick side.
Vassar fought through the second half, trying for the equalizer in the 54
th minute, but were denied by a pair of saves by Skidmore goalie
Elizabeth Coughlin. After a Vassar player received what turned out to be a crucial yellow card in the 68
th minute, the Brewers took their last chance on a corner with 1:42 to go in regulation. A Molly Youse shot from in front of goal was denied once again by Folts on the defensive save, but the ball caromed out to Emily Poehlein, who fired the rebound in net to tie the contest.
Vassar defended a late Skidmore penalty corner with 59 seconds left to force overtime, before Davenport provided the dramatic winner early in the session.
Vassar outshot Skidmore by a narrow 10-9 margin, although Skidmore held a 7-5 advantage at shots on goal. Vassar earned six penalty corners, to Skidmore's five. Coughlin made two saves in 71:36 to pick up the victory in a gutsy effort in goal. Rotolo made five saves in the loss.
