SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The Skidmore College women's lacrosse team were downed by RIT, 16-13, in the Liberty League home opener matchup at Wachenheim Field on Friday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds (4-4, 1-1 Liberty League) started out the gates with a red-hot offense that recorded an eight-goal first period, with a pair of early hat tricks by the senior duo of Jillian Lockwood and Lily Schwartzman, but it proved not enough as a lopsided 24-to-9 advantage in draw controls by the Tigers (5-2, 1-1 Liberty League) was ultimately too much to overcome as the home team fell on the wrong side of the possession battle throughout the match.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Skidmore jumped out to a quick start with consecutive goals scored by Lockwood and sophomore Phoebe Ross to go up 2-0 at the 12:58 mark.
• Aided by controlling on the draw controls, the Tigers responded by quickly scoring four straight goals in a two-minute span to go up 4-2 with 10:35 on the clock.
• The momentum would quickly swing again as the Thoroughbreds outscored RIT 6-1 to close out the quarter, with Schwartzman securing a hat trick during the span and Lockwood tacking on another two scores to complete her own hat trick. Junior Grace deBenedictis also scored as Skidmore took an 8-5 lead after one quarter of play.
• The Tigers began to take control of the match in the second quarter by outscoring Skidmore by a 4-1 margin, with the home team's lone score coming from deBenedictis at the 3:31 mark, to enter halftime with the game tied at 9-9 as RIT held a sizable 15-to-5 edge in draw controls at intermission.
• The trend continued in the third period as the Tigers once again held Skidmore to a lone score, this time again coming off the stick of deBenedictis, to take a 12-10 lead heading into the final quarter of play. RIT once again commanded on the draws by a 4-1 mark.
• When RIT began the fourth quarter with consecutive goals to push the lead to 14-10, Skidmore's offense again came alive with three-straight goals by the underclassmen trio of Hillary Noble, Keara Battagliese and Charlotte Taylor to pull within one score, 14-13, with 5:53 on the clock.
• However, the Tigers scored twice more in quick succession to go up by 16-13 and effectively pull away for good in the closing minutes.

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Schwartzman, deBenedictis and Lockwood each finished with a hat-trick, with deBenedictis also recording one assist on the day.
• Ross and Noble each finished with a goal and assist apiece.
• Taylor finished with a team-high three draw controls to go with her goal.
• Senior Erin McMorris and sophomores Annie Campbell and Tessa Snyder each finished with team-high two caused turnovers.

UP NEXT
The Thoroughbreds are back in action tomorrow by hosting Rochester for a 2 PM senior day matchup.