Box Score
Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Junior Anne Graveley and rookie Alex Rimmer each tallied two goals to lead the Hamilton College women's soccer team past Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 4-1, in the Liberty League opener for both teams. The Continentals move to 3-2-0 overall, while the Engineers drop to 3-5-1 on the season.

Despite a slow start to the first half, the scoring picked up through the final 28 minutes as both squads got onto the scoreboard. Hamilton jumped out to the early 1-0 lead in the 27th minute after Graveley (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) scored her fifth goal of the season off a rebound.

Fighting for the loose ball from five yards out, Rimmer (Rye, NY/Rye) sent a shot at RPI goalie Melissa Pinsonneault (Hudson, NH/Bishop Guertin), who came out to the top of the box to play it. Unable to hold onto it, the ball rebounded out to Graveley, who sent the shot past an Engineers defender and into the open net.

Rensselaer tied things up less than four minutes later as freshman Shannon Maguire (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) battled with a defender through the box and knocked the ball into the right corner of the net off a short cross from classmate Kelsey Byrne (Rye, NH/Portsmouth).

The deadlock was short-lived as Rimmer sent the ball into the top corner of the net off a cross from the left side by junior Laura Brandimarte (Hollidaysburg, PA/Hollidaysburg Senior) in the 40th minute.

Hamilton continued to dominate the scoreboard in the second half, taking advantage of several miscues by the Rensselaer defense to push the score to 4-1. Rimmer made it a two-goal advantage at the 52nd minute mark after she collected a cross by sophomore Meghan Griesbach (Methuen, MA/Governor's Academy) in the middle of the field.

Carrying the ball into the box, Rimmer collided with RPI goalie Pinsonneault, but the ball trickled into the net for a 3-1 lead.

Graveley added an insurance goal in the 56th minute after rifling a shot from 10-yards out past the reach of the Engineers keeper.

Rensselaer had a number of chances to get onto the scoreboard in the second half, including a shot by senior Jacquelyn Garlasco (Paramus, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy), but Continentals goalie Hailey Bobin (Seattle, WA/University Preparatory Academy) was able to get a piece of it and push it up over the crossbar

Bobin, who played the final 18:01 of the game, made three saves, while starter Kate Fowler (Branford, CT/Wilton) also made three stops in 71:59. Pinsonneault had three stops for RPI.

The Engineers return to action tomorrow afternoon against #5 William Smith at 2pm on Renwyck Field. Hamilton is also in action on Saturday at 2pm when as it takes on Vassar.