SARATOGA SPRINGS N.Y. – The Liberty League Tournament has arrived and the Skidmore College women's lacrosse team will host a quarterfinal contest for the second consecutive year. The Thoroughbreds, seeded fourth, will take on fifth-seeded Vassar on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. on Wachenheim Field.
This contest is free to the public.
Live Video and
stats are available for those watching from afar.
Six teams earned berths into the Liberty League Tournament. In the other quarterfinal, sixth-seeded RPI will travel to third-seeded Clarkson in Potsdam at 4 p.m., also on Tuesday. The Skidmore/Vassar winner will face top-seed and tournament host William Smith on Saturday, while the RPI/Clarkson winner will face Ithaca in Geneva. The semifinal winners will battle for the Liberty League Championship on Sunday, May 5.
Skidmore and Vassar have met in the playoffs just once before – in 2015. Skidmore edged Vassar by a 10-8 score in the Liberty League Semifinal, advancing to its first league championship game.
That year was the first of what is now five straight postseason appearances for the Thoroughbreds (11-5, 7-3 Liberty League). This season, Skidmore ripped a season-best, five-game win streak and was ranked in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) weekly polls for three weeks. Skidmore finished as the conference leader with 16.5 draw controls per game and a .496 free position percentage. The Thoroughbreds are in the top-20 nationally in both categories. Skidmore was also third in the league in scoring offense (13.94), shots on goal per game (24.4), and save percentage (.461).
Individually,
Cas Szwajkowski submitted the best offensive season in Skidmore history, breaking the season goals (78), points (85), and free position goals (28) records. She leads the league in all three categories by a wide margin, and is among the nation's best in both free position average (sixth, 1.75 per game) and goals (14
th). Fellow senior
Anna Boogaerts has also had a strong season. She's tied for fourth on the team with 30 points, via 24 goals and six assists. She's also been automatic from eight meters, boasting the 15
th best free position percentage mark in the nation at .667.
Emily Hirsch is tied with Boogaerts with 30 points, scoring 28 goals. She also leads the team and is third in the league with 91 draw controls.
Amanda Orvis (24-11—35) and
Natalie LaBeau (21-14—35) are the other leading scorers, with LaBeau leading the team in both assists and caused turnovers (23). Hirsch (12), Orvis (10),
Grace Connerty (14),
Gianna Muscari (11), and
Ellie Daly (15) all have double-digit caused turnovers.
Caroline Kenlon has 15 starts in cage, sporting a 12.47 goals against average and a .439 save percentage (9-5 record).
Nicki Eckert sports a 6.90 GAA and a .600 save percentage in five games played and one start (1-0).
Vassar (8-7, 5-5 Liberty League) won three of its last four games, to earn the fifth seed in the tournament. Vassar is fifth in the Liberty League with 204 goals, but leads the league with a .467 shot percentage. The Brewers is in the tournament for the first time since their 2015 loss to Skidmore.
Leading Vassar is Kelly Pushie with 50 goals, via a balanced 25 goals and 25 assists. Melanie Silverman (6-29--35) leads the team in assists and is fifth in the Liberty League with 1.93 assists per game. Caeli Porette (35-10--45) leads the Brewers in scoring, free position goals (11), ground balls (43), draw controls (72), and caused turnovers (32). Fiona MacLeod (28-19--47), Alessandra Fable (33-5--38), and Tessa Waters (26-9--35) are the other leading scorers. MacLeod (27), Waters (12), Tillie Newcomb (13), Sydney Nemphos (13), and Skylar Herrera-Ross all have double-digit caused turnovers.
In cage, first-time goalie Jackie Molloy has enjoyed a solid season, posting a 12.07 goals against average and a .388 save percentage in 15 starts (8-7 record).
Skidmore and Vassar met 20 days prior, at Wachenheim Field. Trailing after the first half, the Thoroughbreds pulled ahead with a 10-2 scoring run, defeating the Brewers by a 17-13 score. Szwajkowski tallied a Skidmore single-game record nine goals for the second time in that contest. Hirsch added a career-best 14 draw controls to swing the game in their favor.
