POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 1, 2016) – The Vassar College field hockey team will open its quest to earn its first-ever Liberty League Tournament title this Wednesday, hosting Skidmore College at 6 p.m. on Weinberg Field. Vassar is coming off a two-win week, earning a pair of road victories over the University of Scranton and New Paltz.
 
Game Details
Liberty League Semifinals
Opponent: vs. No. 16 Skidmore College (13-5, 4-2 Liberty League)
Links: (Skidmore's Field Hockey Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility: Weinberg Field
Date: November 2, 2016
Time: 2 p.m.
Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Last Time Out: The Brewers came back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 win at New Paltz on Saturday afternoon. Vassar fell behind early in the first half, but Cristina Lopez scored at the 35:00 mark of the first half to send the game into intermission at 2-1. After the break, senior Hayley Beach tallied to tie the game, and Lopez put the Brewer on top for good with her fourth goal of the season. The victories set a new Vassar field hockey record for wins in a season with 14, topping the previous mark of 13 set by the 2000 squad.
 
A Look At The Brewers (14-3, 4-2 Liberty League)
 

• The Vassar field hockey team comes into the game ranked No. 1 in the NCAA North Atlantic regional rankings, just ahead of William Smith, Skidmore and Rochester.
• The Brewers have the best goals against average in all of Division III field hockey with a 0.59 mark.
• Vassar's passing within the circle has been strong, as the Brewers have posted the 16^th best assists per game mark in Division III with 2.35 helpers per contest.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Paige Amico comes into Wednesday's game with the third-best goals against average in the nation with a 0.69 clip.
• Vassar has the nation's seventh longest winning streak at home coming into Wednesday's contest, having won its last seven at Weinberg Field.
• The Brewers are currently second in the Liberty League in scoring output, averaging 3.176 goals per game.
• Sophomore Megan Caveny is seventh in the Liberty League in points per game with 1.53 per contest, ranking 10^th in goals per game (0.529) and third in assists per game (0.471).
• Vassar's second-half defense has been stellar this year, allowing just three goals in 17 goals in the second stanza. VC has scored 27 in the second half, while outscoring teams 26-6 in the opening half.
• This season, Vassar has seven players with 10 or more points on the year, the most of any season ever at VC. The previous record was five, set back in 2013.
• Megan Caveny currently has 28 points on the year, which is among the all-time leaders for points in a season.
• Senior Hayley Beach has scored seven goals this year to up her career total to 22, which ranks her fifth all-time alone, one goal ahead of Beth Pierson with 21.
• Head coach Michael Warari comes into the game Wednesday with 48 career wins at Vassar College, as the Brewers have won 11, 11, 12 and 14 games in his four seasons at VC.
• With her last win, sophomore Paige Amico became the winningest goalkeeper at Vassar College since 2002, earning her 26^th career win. That bests the 25 wins by Maggie Brelis over her time at VC.
• The Brewers are currently ranked No. 17 in the FieldHockeyCorner.com Average Computer Rating rankings, tops of any North Atlantic region squad.

 
A Look At The Thoroughbreds (13-5, 4-2 Liberty League)
 

• Skidmore comes into Wednesday's game having knocked off Oneonta 2-0 in its last contest back on October 27.
• The Thoroughbreds rank 37^th in the nation in scoring offense, third in the Liberty League, with 3.09 goals per game.
• Goalkeeper Elizabeth Coughlin is 18^th in the nation in goals against average with a 1.05 clip, which is the second-best average in the Liberty League.
• Head coach Beth Hallenbeck is 22^nd all-time in winning percentage in Division III, posting a 307-148 in her career. Her 307 total wins rank 14^th all-time going into this season.
• Gabby Hyman is second in the conference in goals this year, having potted 17 thus far.
• Krista Lamoreaux is third in the League in helpers with eight, while her .444 assists per game are fourth-best.
• Grace Florsheim has scored four game-winners this season, most in the Liberty League, while chalking up six total tallies.
• Defender Marissa Folts has three defensive saves on the campaign, while earning National Division III Defensive Player of the Week once this year.
• Elizabeth Coughlin has played the majority of the time in goal this year for Skidmore, allowing nine goals over 1068 minutes, going 12-4.
• Freshman Miranda Davenport has been named Liberty League Rookie of the Week twice, as she has posted seven goals and two assists on the year.
• Junior Seeley Fancher is another name to watch out for when playing Skidmore, as she has five goals and three assists.
• Becca Halter has been the assigned penalty stroke taker for the T'Breds, having made two of her three attempts at the dot.

 
Against Skidmore All-Time: The Brewers and Thoroughbreds have played 32 times before Wednesday night's tussle, with Skidmore earning a 25-7 overall edge in the series. This will be the third time in the last four seasons VC has played Skidmore in the postseason, but the first at Weinberg Field. Vassar has won the last two meetings with these two teams in Poughkeepsie, including earlier this season for Senior Day, 2-1.
 
Liberty League Update: The winner of the semifinal with Vassar and Skidmore will play the winner of the other semifinal between William Smith College and the University of Rochester in Geneva, NY. If William Smith wins, the winner of the game in Poughkeepsie will travel to the Herons Saturday. If Rochester wins, the victor between the Brewers and Thoroughbreds will host the Liberty League title game Saturday.