BABSON PARK, MA – The Skidmore College women's lacrosse team started fast with a dominant first quarter, but was unable to hold off a comeback as No. 19 Babson scored the game-winning goal in the final minute in a 9-8 road loss Tuesday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds (4-2) jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first quarter, fueled by an early hat trick from freshman Piper Morgan, before the Beavers (3-0) answered with five unanswered goals in the second period to set up a back-and-forth second half. In the final two minutes of regulation, Babson capitalized on an untimely Skidmore turnover and subsequently converted on a player-up opportunity, scoring the game-winner with just 31 seconds remaining.  

Despite the closely-fought loss, senior Julia Cafasso became the 30^th Thoroughbred in program history to join the 100-points club, after finishing the game with a pair of goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Skidmore controlled the first quarter, jumping out to a 5-0 lead as Morgan recorded a hat trick in the period while junior Phoebe Ross added two assists.
• Cafasso opened the scoring with a goal off an assist from fellow senior Lily Hudner at the 9:03 mark, followed by a pair of player-up goals from Morgan and senior Allison Brewer, before Morgan then closed the quarter with consecutive scores, the second coming on a free-position shot.
• The Beavers mounted a comeback in the second period, scoring three goals in the first three minutes of the quarter to cut the lead to 5-3, before tying the game at 5-5 with 6:19 remaining following a solo goal and a free-position score.
• Skidmore regained the lead before halftime when junior Charlotte Taylor converted a free-position shot to make it 6-5 with 1:46 remaining in the half.
• Coming out of intermission, Babson again equalized the score with a solo goal at the 11:26 mark, before Cafasso answered with a free position goal a minute later to retake a 7-6 advantage for Skidmore.
• The Beavers scored once more with 6:14 on the clock in the third frame to tie the game at 7-7 heading into the final quarter of play.
• In the fourth, Babson took their first lead of the game on a solo score to make it 8-7 with 8:53 to go in regulation, before Skidmore responded a couple minutes later with a player-up goal from Hudner to even things up at 8-8 with 5:07 left.  
• In the final two minutes, junior Annie Campbell forced a Babson turnover to seemingly give Skidmore the final possession of regulation, but the ensuing clear attempt failed and the ball was conceded back to the Beavers.
• Skidmore was then issued a green card with 49 seconds remaining, which Babson capitalized on the player-up opportunity to take a 9-8 lead with 31 seconds left.
• Despite the limited time, Skidmore still had one final chance as Taylor forced a turnover after Babson won the draw control, which was quickly followed by a Beavers green card with 17 seconds remaining, to set up a player-up opportunity for Cafasso, whose shot sailed just wide in the closing seconds.

STANDOUT THOROUGHBREDS

• Morgan finished with three goals to go with two draw controls and one groundball.
• Cafasso scored twice to go with one groundball and one draw control.
• Ross dished out a pair of assists to go with one groundball.
• Hudner tallied one goal and one assist.
• Taylor finished with one goal, one assist, two draw controls and one caused turnover.
• Senior Brooke LaVallee led the defense with three caused turnovers.
• Freshman Nora Bradley finished with a team-high three draw controls alongside one caused turnover.
• In goal, sophomore Tatum Walsh tallied seven saves.

UP NEXT
Skidmore begins Liberty League play on Saturday by heading out on the road against No. 9 William Smith at 11 AM.