TROY, NY – The Skidmore College women's lacrosse team returned to its winning ways after pulling away late for a pivotal 13-9 conference road victory over RPI on Wednesday afternoon.

Keeping pace in a competitive Liberty League playoff race, the Thoroughbreds (6-7, 3-4 Liberty League) were led by a pair of hat trick performances from senior Lily Schwartzman and junior Julia Cafasso, while also forcing 20 turnovers from the Engineers (6-5, 3-3 Liberty League) to lock up the much-needed conference victory.  
With her first goal of the game in the first quarter, Schwartzman became the 29^th player in program history to record 100-career points, joining fellow senior Jillian Lockwood. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Thoroughbreds struck first in a low-scoring first quarter on a goal from senior Elizabeth Walsh, off the pass from Cafasso, at the 13:43 mark.
• RPI closed out the quarter with a pair of scores at the 12:25 and 2:29 marks to take a 2-1 lead.
• Coming out firing in the second quarter, Skidmore swung the game with three-consecutive goals from Lockwood, sophomore Charlotte Taylor and Cafasso to lead 4-2 with 10:03 on the clock.
• After the Engineers cut into the lead with a successful free position goal, the Thoroughbreds scoring run continued with a spinning goal from Schwartzman at the 7:30 mark, for her 100^th career point, followed by a free position score from junior Lily Hudner to once again double-up RPI at 6-3 with 6:56 left in the half.
• Once again, the Engineers closed out the quarter strong with three-consecutive goals in the final three minutes of the first half to tie the game up at 6-6 apiece entering halftime.  
• The third quarter began with a fourth-straight RPI goal that gave the home team a 7-6 lead with 12:26 on the clock.
• The lead was short-lived as Lockwood tied the game back up at 7-7 in solo fashion at the 10:44 mark, followed by a man-up score from Schwartzman off the dish from sophomore Phoebe Ross to retake an 8-7 advantage with 9:14 to go.
• Both teams traded goals to close out the third period, with Walsh striking with 52 seconds left on the assist from Taylor to give Skidmore a 9-8 lead.
• Skidmore pulled away in the fourth quarter after scoring the first three goals of the period off the sticks of Schwartzman and twice from Cafasso to build a comfortable 12-8 lead with 5:33 left in regulation.
• After an RPI goal at the 4:18 mark, Freshman Hillary Noble sealed the win with a solo score with 1:13 left.

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Cafasso finished with three goals and an assist to go with two groundballs.
• Schwartzman recorded a hat trick to go with two groundballs and a caused turnover.
• Walsh finished with a pair of goals to go with two groundballs and two caused turnovers.
• Lockwood scored twice and recorded a caused turnover.
• Hudner and Taylor each finished with a goal and assist.
• Ross recorded a team-high two assists.
• Noble scored once to go with a team-high three groundballs and caused turnvoers.

UP NEXT
The Thoroughbreds are back in action next Friday in a road matchup at St. Lawrence. The start time is set for 4 PM.