SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College field hockey team's upset bid fell just short, as No. 6 Rochester escaped with a dramatic 2-1 victory after a shoot-out in Liberty League action at Wagner Park Friday night.
 
Rochester, ranked sixth in the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association national poll, remains undefeated at 13-0, and 4-0 in Liberty League action. Skidmore, receiving votes in the same poll, falls to 6-7 overall and 1-3 in league action.
 
This game that featured the two Liberty League Tournament finalists from the last two seasons did not disappoint, with multiple twists and turns. Rochester struck first, converting off a penalty corner in the 17^th minute. Courtney Dunham initially mishandled the feed from the corner, but recovered and took a hard shot just inside of the arc on the right side, beating Skidmore goalie Elizabeth Coughlin right. Skidmore would hold Rochester to just that one goal in the first half, as the teams combined for just six shots in the first 35 minutes.
 
Things opened up for the Thoroughbreds in the second half, with Skidmore getting its first great opportunity on a breakaway. With her back to the Rochester end, senior Gabby Hyman would chip a pass behind her to freshman Gabrielle Vaccaro, who tried to get a shot off but was met by the Rochester defense. Minutes later, Hyman would strike for the Thoroughbreds. On another fast break attempt, Hyman beat her defender to the middle of the arc, launching a hard cross-body shot that beat Rochester goalie Kate Kujawa stick side at 59:25. Nearly two minutes later, Hyman nearly struck again, but her shot from close hit the post and bounced away.
 
Overtime saw both teams produce golden opportunities to win it. An early shot off a Skidmore penalty corner was denied by Kujawa in the first overtime. Near the end of the period, Rochester had two chances to win it minutes apart, but freshman Madeleine Michaels and senior Marissa Folts made crucial blocks to keep the game alive. In the second overtime period, Rochester got three quality shots off, but Coughlin stopped it each time, including swatting a difficult high shot away at the end.
 
After a dramatic 90 minutes failed to produce a winner, the teams headed to the shoot-out. Senior Marissa Folts easily converted the Thoroughbreds first attempt, and fellow senior Elizabeth Coughlin came up strong as Skidmore led 1-0. In the second round, senior Gabby Hyman tried to go wide but ran out of real estate as the shot went to the right. Rochester's Jennifer Lee would score right after to tie things up at one.
 
Coughlin and Rochester goalie Kate Kujawa would trade stops in the third and fourth rounds, before senior Emily Richmond stepped up for the deciding fifth round. Richmond marched right up to Kujawa, going right and launching a hard low shot that would just clank off the post. Rochester's Amanda Strenk would convert on the team's final attempt as the Yellowjackets finished the victory.
 
Rochester outshot Skidmore by a 14-6 margin, including an 8-1 advantage in the overtime sessions. Despite the loss, Coughlin was strong in net, with eight saves.
 
Skidmore will wrap the weekend with a Sunday road trip to Geneva, taking on William Smith at 3 p.m.