SCHENECTADY, NY (May 1, 2015) – Spencer Morgan and Emma Harris scored three goals each, as Skidmore College held off Vassar 10-8 in the semifinals of the Liberty League Championships Friday evening. The Thoroughbreds led for most of the game, and withstood a late run from the Brewers in the final to preserve the win. Junior Isabelle Goldstein (Belmont, MA/Belmont) finished with a game-high five points, while freshman Storm Sideleau (Hopkinton, NH/Kimball Union Academy) tallied a hat trick.

Skidmore (13-4) will face today's other victor, Union College, at 3:00 pm tomorrow in the Liberty League Championship game. Vassar ends the season 10-6 overall, as the loss snaps a five-game win streak.

The first half proved to be a defensive struggle for a majority of period, but Vassar struck first getting the game's opening goal from Goldstein at the 21:25 mark. Neither side found the net again until the 14:33 mark, when Tyler Phillips got the Thoroughbreds on the board to even things up at one.

Phillips's goal would spark a 4-0 run for the second-seeded Thoroughbreds, as Allison Byrne and Harris combined for three goals in the final five minutes of the half. Skidmore would carry a 4-1 lead into the break, outshooting the Brewers 13-6 and holding a 4-2 edge in draws in the opening half.

Sideleau scored one of her three goals on the day in the first minute of the second half to make it 4-2. Skidmore was quick to answer, scoring less than a minute later to bump the lead back to three.

The teams would trade goals over the next several minutes, before the Thoroughbreds increased their advantage to four with a goal from Harris at the 14:50 mark. Skidmore continued to dominate possession scoring two of the next three goals to get ahead 9-4 with just 9:08 to play. The teams again exchanged goals, as the Thoroughbreds led 10-5 in the closing minutes of the game.

Vassar made one last stand, ending the half on a 3-0 tear to try and tie the game up and force overtime. Goldstein's goal with 1:34 to go cut the lead to two, but Skidmore controlled the ball on the ensuing draw to run out the clock and clinch the victory.

Vassar ends the year with double digit victories for the third consecutive season and for the sixth time in program history. The Brewers will return 15 players in 2016 from that team's current roster.

Notes:
Senior Jackie Palma (Manhasset, NY/Manhasset Junior-Senior) reached the century mark in caused turnovers, finishing her career with 101. Palma is the only player in school history to pass 100 caused turnovers in a career. 

--VASSAR--