POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 29, 2015) - The Vassar women's soccer team (5-3) will hit the road for the team's first Liberty League games of the season this weekend. The Brewers will face No. 21 St. Lawrence University first on October 2, before playing Clarkson University on October 3 to wrap up the weekend. Kickoffs for the games are scheduled for 4:00 pm and 2:00 pm (respectively).

Game Details
Opponent: vs. No. 21 St. Lawrence University (7-1, 0-1 LL)
Links: (St. Lawrence Soccer Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Canton, NY
Facility: Sandy Macallaster Field
Date: October 2, 2015
Time:  4:00 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)

Game Details
Opponent: vs. Clarkson University (6-2, 0-1 LL)
Links: (Clarkson Soccer Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Potsdam, NY
Facility: Hantz Turf Field
Date: October 3, 2015
Time:  2:00 p.m.
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Last Time Out: Vassar faced No. 25 Montclair State University on September 26, suffering a tough 5-0 decision to the Red Hawks. The loss ended a three-game winning streak while allowing the squad's first goals since September 12th.
 
A Look at the Saints: St. Lawrence enters the weekend as the No. 21 ranked team in the country and No. 3 team in the East region according to the latest NSCAA Poll. The Saints got off to a 7-0 start on the year in non-conference play, before suffering a 1-0 loss to current No. 18 Rochester Institute of Technology on September 26. The Saints remain unbeaten (4-0) at home this season.
 
Sophomore Kaleigh White currently leads the Liberty League and Saints in both points scored (21) and goals (10) through the first month of the season. Fellow sophomore Katie Stames isn't far behind, holding the No. 2 spot in the league in points (19), goals (7) and assists (5). Senior Kelsey West has allowed just four goals on the year as the starter in goal for St. Lawrence, and is averaging 2.63 saves per game. 
 
Against St. Lawrence All-Time: Vassar is 6-10-1 all-time vs. the Saints, but has had their number in recent years winning four of the past six matchups. The Brewers secured a 1-0 decision last season at Gordon Field, getting a goal from Lucy Brainerd (Littleton, CO/Heritage) in the 84^th minute.
 
A Look at the Golden Knights: Clarkson, who enter the weekend 6-2 overall and 0-1 in the Liberty League, will first face Bard College before traveling to Poughkeepsie on October 3. After getting off to a 6-0 start, the Golden Knights suffered their first loss of the season to then-No. 13 Nazareth on September 19. CU was then tripped up in their first conference match of the season falling to Skidmore 1-0 at home.
 
Freshman Summer Gillespie has made an immediate impact for the Golden Knights in her first collegiate season, notching a team-best 14 points on five goals and four assists. She has also already twice been named the Liberty League Rookie of the Week this year. Junior Lauren Flynn has also been productive, notching five goals and two helpers in eight appearances.  
 
Against Clarkson All-Time: Vassar holds a 12-2-1 advantage over the Golden Knights in the all-time series, and has a seven-game winning streak going since the 2008 season. Last year, the Brewers used an early eighth minute goal from alumnus Chloe Wheeler ('15) to secure a 1-0 decision over CU on October 17.
 
Remember September: Vassar finished 5-3 in the month of September this year. Over the past five seasons (including 2015) the Brewers are 25-16-2 in games played in September.
 
Multi-goal Freshmen: Freshmen Audrey Pillsbury (Laguna Beach, CA/Laguna Beach) and Rebecca Andrews (Los Altos, CA/Los Altos) are currently the only Brewers with multiple goals this season. Against both NYU and New Paltz, the duo scored both goals for Vassar, while Andrews leads with the team with four this season.
 
Five Games, Five Game-Winners: Five different players have scored a game-winning goal for Vassar so far in 2014. Rebecca Andrews had the first game-winner in VC's 2-1 double OT win over NYU (9/5) followed by a game-winner from junior Emily Krebs (Newport Beach, CA/Corona Del Mar) vs. West Conn (9/8). Sophomore Amanda McFarland tallied the winning goal in OT against Whitman (9/13) while Lucy Brainerd knocked in an early game-winner when facing Manhattanville (9/19). Audrey Pillsbury posted her first career game-winner yesterday vs. New Paltz (9/22). 
 
Top Conference?: The Liberty League is shaping up to be one of the toughest conferences for women's soccer nationwide as the first month of the 2015 season draws to a close. The League currently has three teams ranked inside the top-25 nationally in William Smith  (No. 6), RIT (No. 18) and St. Lawrence (No. 21). Currently, eight of nine conference teams have at least a .500 record or better.    
 
League Play Underway: Vassar is the only team yet to play a conference game in 2015. Skidmore is off to a solid start winning its first two Liberty games, while RIT, William Smith and RPI all stand at 1-0. Check out the full league standings here.
 
League Openers: Vassar has had trouble getting off on the right foot in league play over the years, holding a 1-7-2 mark in Liberty League openers since 2005. VC's one win over that span came against St. Lawrence on the road in Canton, NY back on September 24, 2010.
 
History Repeats: Vassar has now beaten Manhattanville by a margin of 6-0 in two consecutive meetings. The Brewers earned a 6-0 victory almost a year ago to the date on September 20, 2014 with six goals from five different scorers.
 
In the Record Books: Senior Emma Nichols (Lexington, MA/Lexington) is now tied for fifth with Emily Spencer ('99) in career wins at Vassar, earning the 17th of her career against New Paltz. Her now 11 career shutouts is tied for third on the all-time list with Lauren Kelly (99-00) and Spencer. She will set the all-time Vassar record with two more shutouts this season. 
 
Overtime Warriors: Vassar has already played three overtime contests in 2015, matching its total extra time games from last season. After finishing with three ties in OT last season, it's been feast or famine for the Brewers this year going 2-1 in OT games. VC topped NYU on a golden goal on September 5, before suffering a sudden death loss to Stevens on September 12. The Brewers came out on the right side of overtime the following day with a win over Whitman.
 
Defending Gordon: Vassar's loss to Montclair State last weekend marked the first defeat for the Brewers at Gordon Field since October 4 2013. VC is now 11-1-3 at home since that loss to William Smith two seasons ago.
 
Next Up: Vassar will play its final non-conference game of the regular season on Tuesday, October 6 when the team hosts Wesleyan University at Gordon Field. Kickoff is slated for 4:00 pm.