SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – An early overtime goal lifted RIT past the Skidmore College women's soccer team, 2-1 at Wachenhiem Field on Senior Day Saturday afternoon.
 
Skidmore (6-5, 3-3 Liberty League) drops its second straight contest, but still remain well in the hunt for a postseason spot, sitting in fifth place with nine points. RIT (7-3-2, 2-2-2 Liberty League) jumps back into the postseason race, now sitting in sixth place with eight points.
 
Just 1:15 into overtime, a long pass by RIT's Emily Thiel was played to Maggie Hoey on the left side. Hoey beat a defender to the middle of the penalty box, then fired a high shot, beating Skidmore goalie Ava Keller left.
 
Before the contest, Skidmore celebrated the five-person senior class: forward Emma Basso, midfielders Sydney Gellerman and Emily Mendes, and defenders Phoebe Martell-Crawford and Courtney Shaw. The Thoroughbreds would then come out the gate strong, nearly getting a goal in the opening minutes on a pair of Basso shots.
 
RIT would strike first in the 35^th minute, as Abbey Saia raced up the left side of the penalty box, firing a curved shot that beat Keller to her left.
 
The Tigers nearly doubled up the score on a free kick opportunity just outside of the penalty box in the 40^th minute. Jessica Jones lined up to take the kick, which hit the post and came back to her. Her second shot went wide left as Skidmore jumped back onto the attack. Mendes received the ball on its own half, turned and launched a long, high through pass which found a charging Melissa Haas in the penalty box on the left side. Haas quickly fired a shot on target, beating RIT goalkeeper Ingrida Ivaska to her right.
 
Skidmore almost struck early in the second half. The Thoroughbreds caught RIT in a two-on-one break in the 57^th minute. Carly Craft fed a low, cross-field pass to Basso, but the first touch was a bit strong, as RIT goalkeeper Alyssa Salls gobbled up the chance. RIT had a breakaway of its own in the 80^th minute, but the Skidmore defense held strong on the 3-on-2 disadvantage, eventually blocking the shot attempt.
 
The Thoroughbreds would get a few chances to get a late winner, none better than in the 72^nd and 84^th minute. The first attempt was a long, low one outside of the box by Yasmine Boukari. The shot hit the inside of the right post but didn't cross the line, as it hit the other post like a pinball and went back out of play. In the 84^th minute, a cross by Vanessa Eljaiek found Hass perfectly in the box, as Haas' chance for a brace just missed. Eljaiek had a chance on the rebound, but her shot was blocked.
 
Skidmore outshot RIT in the contest by a 15-10 margin, and won 10 corners to RIT's three.
 
The Thoroughbreds finish the regular season with three crucial road contests. The first is a trip to Canton, N.Y. and St. Lawrence, on Saturday at 3 p.m.