SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College women's soccer team is back in the Liberty League Tournament for the first time since the 2013 season. The Thoroughbreds travel to fourth-seeded St. Lawrence for a first-round match up Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. Skidmore, the fifth seed, is looking for its first-ever Liberty League Championship and a return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.
The second first-round matchup features third-seeded RIT hosting sixth-seeded Vassar on Tuesday. The first round winners will head to Geneva for the Liberty League semifinals. William Smith, the defending league champion and top seed, will host the Skidmore-St. Lawrence winner on Saturday, while Ithaca hosts the RIT-Vassar winner. The semifinal winners will meet for the Liberty League title on Sunday.
Skidmore (8-6, 5-4 Liberty League) won its last two league games on the road to leapfrog into the league tournament, defeating Union 3-0 last Wednesday and Bard 2-1 on Saturday. The Thoroughbreds finish the regular season an impressive 5-2 away from Wachenheim Field. It was a big turnaround for the Thoroughbreds, who have doubled their win total from last season.
Overall, Skidmore finished the regular season in the middle of the Liberty League offensively with 7.79 shots on goal and 1.21 goals per game. Defensively, the Thoroughbreds allow just 0.93 goals per game, good for fifth.
Individually, Skidmore is led by
Yasmine Boukari, who's among the league leaders in goals (six) and points (15). Boukari leads the league with 4.21 shots per game.
Courtney Shaw is having another good offensive season, second in scoring with seven points, via two goals and three assists.
Melissa Haas and
Emma Basso each have three goals.
Ava Keller has shown flashes of brilliance in her first year at Skidmore, as the rookie goaltender holds a 7-5 record, with a solid 0.79 goals against average and a .813 save percentage.
St. Lawrence, the third seed, comes into the tournament with a 9-2-4 overall record (4-2-3 in conference). The Saints are 4-0-2 at home and are 3-1-3 in their last seven contests, which includes a 1-0 victory against the Thoroughbreds on Oct. 20.
The Saints are second in the Liberty League in opposing scoring average, with opponents mustering just 0.47 goals per game. Individually, Samantha Allen shoulders the load for the Saints defense in net, as she is fourth in the nation in save percentage (.914). Offensively, Julia Mulhern leads the team with 12 points on six goals. Katie Clemmer sits second with 11 points via five goals and one assist. 18 different players have tallied a point for the Saints.
