ITHACA, N.Y.—Playing what amounted to an elimination game, the Skidmore College field hockey team responded impressively with a 1-0 road win over Ithaca College.

The win clinches a Liberty League playoff spot for the Thoroughbreds who have played in every Liberty League tournament since league rebranded in 2004.Skidmore has won 10 league titles, including two when the league was known as the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association.

Skidmore (8-9, 3-4 Liberty League) needed to win its final two league games to reach the playoffs.The Thoroughbreds beat Union at home Friday 4-0 before traveling to Ithaca today for the clinching win.
 

Defense prevailed over the first 48 minutes with neither team able to score.  

Then Gabby Hyman played the hero's role when she took a pass from Gabrielle Vaccaro, put a winning move on Ithaca (10-6, 3-4) goalie Savanna Lenker and scored from a sharp angle.

It was the team-leading 15^th goal of the season for the senior who has scored in seven of the game's last eight games.

A late Skidmore green card and with their goalie out, the Thoroughbred defense didn't allow a Bomber shot in the last three minutes to preserve the 1-0 win.

Goalie Elizabeth Coughlin had six saves for her second solo shutout of the season.

Skidmore will close out the regular season with a road game at Babson on Oct. 24 and Senior Day at home against Cortland at 1 p.m. Oct. 27.

The team travels to Rochester on Oct. 31 for the Liberty League semifinals. The game will be rematch of the 2017 Liberty League championship game, won 3-2 by the Yellowjackets. Rochester needed a shootout to beat the Thoroughbreds 2-1 in this year's regular season contest.