SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (November 1, 2017) – No. 2 seed Skidmore College sophomore Miranda Davenport tipped in a pass from Marissa Folts 1:36 into overtime, handing the Vassar College field hockey team a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in the Liberty League semifinals Wednesday afternoon from Warner Park.

The Brewers finish the season 11-7 overall, earning double-digit wins for the fifth consecutive season while making the Liberty League Tournament during the same stretch. VC dropped seven games this year by a total of eight goals, but the effort and determination of the Brewers Wednesday was on full display.

Vassar started with a flurry, getting the first four chances of the contest including back-to-back point-blank shots from freshman Dara Studnitzer in the third minute. Vassar earned the game's first penalty corner in the 11^th minute, and Sam Plante nearly put Vassar up 1-0 but her shot was denied by Folts on the goal line.

In the 16^th minute, Skidmore would start to tilt the field towards its offensive end, getting its first shot on goal on a break by Grace Florsheim, but sophomore Brewer keeper Liz Rotolo made a sprawling save. Minutes later, Skidmore though would open the scoring, as Florsheim tipped in a long drive from outside the box at the top of the circle into the right corner of the cage.

That's the way the game would go to intermission, as Vassar outshot its hosts in the opening half 4-2 while earning the game's only two corners during the opening 35 minutes. In the second half, Vassar and Skidmore would open up the offense a little, combining for six shots apiece while earning nine penalty corner attempts.

Skidmore had a strong chance off a penalty corner at 47:15 of the game, but Rotolo was once again up to the task, denying a Mary Beth Zahnleuter attempt. In the 54^th minute, VC pushed forward and got consecutive attempts from junior Emily Poehlein and senior Storm Sideleau, but Elizabeth Coughlin made saves on both attempts to help Skidmore hang onto its goal edge.

Vassar would have to play defense through many of the waning minutes, but the Brewers pushed forward with less than two minutes to play to earn a penalty corner with 1:45 to play. After a well taken timeout by head coach Michael Warari, Vassar executed its dead ball play to perfection, as Molly Youse had her shot stopped by Folts, but Poehlein cleaned up the rebound on the doorstep to tie the game 1-0 with 1:34 to play. The goal also came as VC was playing a player down due to a yellow card.

Skidmore earned a penalty corner just inside of a minute left, but VC's defense held strong, sending the ball out of the circle without a shot to force overtime. In the extra session and playing with just six players, the Thoroughbreds gained control in the midfield and sent a bouncing ball into the circle, where Davenport pushed her shot into the right side of the cage to earn the win for the home team.

With the win, Skidmore (14-6) advances to take on the winner of No. 1 seed University of Rochester and No. 4 seed William Smith College Saturday afternoon. Vassar's season comes to end Wednesday, as does the brilliant career of its lone senior Storm Sideleau, who finishes her career sixth in points at Vassar. VC is slated to bring back 22 letter winners in 2018, including 10 starters.