ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY – An all-around team effort paved the way for the Skidmore College women's lacrosse team to pick up a dominant 25-7 victory over Bard to kick off Liberty League play on Saturday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds (4-3, 1-0 Liberty League) quickly built a 9-3 lead in the first period, before forcing a running clock midway into the second quarter after creating a ten-goal lead on the Raptors (0-5, 0-1 Liberty League) and never looked back the rest of the way.

Freshman Keara Battagliese notched four goals while hat tricks from the trioof junior Lily Hudner, senior Elizabeth Walsh and junior Julia Cafasso highlighted an all-around scoring effort as 13 Thoroughbreds notched a goal in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the game began with neither team scoring in the first six minutes, Cafasso got the Thoroughbreds on the board with an assisted goal at the 9:01 to kick start a busy offensive quarter for Skidmore.
• Walsh led the way with a first-quarter hat trick and Hudner recorded a pair of goals of her own. Also chipping in were Battagliese and juniors Grace deBenedictis, and Allison Brewer as the Thoroughbreds built a commanding 9-3 lead after one.
• In the second quarter, Skidmore quickly built a ten-goal lead off goals from Brewer, Hudner, Battagliese, senior Camille Pontone and sophomore Hannah Nash to build a 14-4 lead at the 7:03 mark and force a running clock.
• Further goals from deBenefictis and Battagliese in the closing minutes of the half gave Skidmore a massive 16-5 lead at intermission.
• The third quarter saw goals from sophomores Phoebe Ross and Emma Caulfield, as well as freshman Hillary Noble and Cafasso to further balloon the Skidmore advantage to 20-6.
• Skidmore closed out the game with goals from Battagliese, Cafasso, senior Grace Grbach, freshman Lily Paul and Pontone in the fourth quarter.

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Battagliese recorded four goals, one assist to go with two groundballs.
• Hudner finished with three goals, one assist, two groundballs and one draw control.
• Walsh scored three goals to go with one assist, two draw controls, one groundball and one caused turnover.
• Cafasso stuffed the stat sheet with three goals, two assists, two groundballs and one caused turnover.
• Junior Brooke LaVallee finished with five groundballs, three caused turnovers and four draw controls while also recording an assist.
• Sophomore Hannah Nash recorded one goal, one assist, three groundballs, two caused turnovers and four draw controls
• Freshman Lily Paul recorded her first collegiate goal, while freshman goalie Tatum Walsh picked up her first career saves after recording four.

UP NEXT
The Thoroughbreds will host the conference home opener next Friday with a 4 PM matchup against RIT at Wachenheim Field.