SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – When her team needed it the most, Ella Stone stepped up and delivered the game winning goal to lift the fourth-seeded Skidmore College women's soccer team past fifth-seeded RIT in a hard-fought 1-0 shutout battle and advance onto Friday's Liberty League semifinals.

Stone's 13th goal of the season capped off an aggressive second half in which the Thoroughbreds (11-2-3) had the Tigers (8-6-4) on the ropes multiple times throughout and ultimately helps the program capture its first Liberty League Playoff victory since all the way back in the 2011 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Tigers began the game seemingly on the upper hand after outshooting the Thoroughbreds by a 6-to-1 margin in the first half as the road team dictated the control of the ball excessively on Skidmore's side of the field. Yet RIT was unable to capitalize due to three huge saves from junior Avery Rogers alongside a stellar Thoroughbreds backline.
• The tone shifted in the second as Skidmore began to generate quality offensive looks of their own, most notably a penalty shot in the 68th and an on-point shot attempt from just inside the box in the 70th that were both taken by senior Kyra Russman-Araya. However, both were stopped just short by RIT's goalie.
• In the 86th minute, Stone finally broke through for the Thoroughbreds after breaking down her defender on the right side with an array of moves and launching in the perfect shot from way outside the box that crossed to the bottom left corner and past the goalie's reach.
• RIT had a last desperate attempt to equalize the match in the 89th minute that saw a shot attempt on goal being saved by Rogers followed by a corner kick. Nothing ultimately materialized as the Thoroughbreds held on for the victory.

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Rogers recorded four key saves for her 11th career shutout as a Thoroughbred
• Stone now leads the conference with her 13 goals alongside her six game-winning scores
• Russman-Araya placed a pair of shots on goal

UP NEXT
The Thoroughbreds will battle top-seeded Ithaca on Friday on the road at 1:30 PM.