SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College women's lacrosse team scored a season-high 19 goals in a dominating 19-5 victory against Vassar at Wachenheim Field on a wet and rainy Friday afternoon.
Skidmore improves to 9-5 overall and 5-2 in league play. Vassar falls to 6-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
The Thoroughbreds set a pair of records in the contest.
Rachel Talanian became the program's all-time ground ball leader after a five-ground ball performance. She passed the mark of 211, previously set by Annie Ledyard in 2006, and currently sits at 213 for her career. Talanian also won five draws and caused four turnovers.
Megan Kolopsky tied the program record for career games in goal, appearing in her 62nd game. Kolopsky ties the mark set by Sarah Berheide in 2005. finished with five saves in the victory, improving to 8-4.
Tyler Phillips finished with a career-high seven goals to lead the Thoroughbreds.
Cas Szwajkowski finished with five points on four goals and an assist. Szwajkowski now has 54 goals on the season and is five goals shy of the single-season record, set by Liza Gorman in 2004.
Natalie LaBeau finished with three goals,
Gianna Muscari tallied three points on a goal and two assists, and
Kathleen Hanna tallied two points on a goal and an assist.
Louisa Vincent,
Allison Byrne, and
Amanda Orvis also scored.
Kelly Pushie tallied a pair of goals and Storm Sideleau scored one and assisted on another to lead the Brewers. Fiona MacLeod and Adele MacEwen also scored. Emily Chancey made 16 saves in goal.
Phillips got things going for the Thoroughbreds with a free position goal 1:37 into the game. Vassar tied things up with a goal at 24:07, as Tessa Waters found MacLeod in front of the crease for the finish. Skidmore took a 3-1 lead with goals 13 seconds apart. After a Szwajkowski woman-up goal at 17:59 gave the Thoroughbreds the lead, Muscari won the resulting draw and pushed the pace, finding Orvis for the goal.
Pushie broke the drought for Vassar, as she received a feed off a Vassar rebound at 16:29. Skidmore would quickly add two more goals; first Phillips made the individual effort to beat the defense for the goal at 15:51, then Muscari found Szwajkowski for the goal just over two minutes later after a few chances at net. Pushie then tallied her second of the game for Vassar at 12:28, taking advantage after a Skidmore penalty.
Skidmore then ended the half with a monster 6-0 run, all coming unassisted. Phillips got three more goals, then LaBeau scored one from the free position to take the 10-3 lead. Szwajkowski ended the first half with her third goal of the game at 1:22, giving Skidmore the 11-3 lead
Vassar struck first in the second half, scoring two of the first three goals as Skidmore held a 12-5 lead. The Skidmore defense then held the Brewers scoreless for the final 22:32 of the game, as the Thoroughbreds finished out on a 7-0 run.
Skidmore shot a season-high 48 shots in the victory, outshooting the Brewers 48-17. Skidmore also held a 30-14 advantage in ground balls and turned the ball over just 11 times. Skidmore also converted on 6-of-10 free position shots. Both teams won 13 draws.
Skidmore will honor seniors Kolopsky, Phillips, Talanian, and Byrne as the team closes out the home portion of the schedule with a league game against Bard on Saturday at 2 p.m.
