Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Led by two goals and two assists from freshman attack Shannon Maguire (Randolph, NJ/Randolph), the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team picked up a 12-6 victory over SUNY Potsdam on Saturday at Renwyck Field. With the victory, the Engineers improve to 3-2 overall and have won each of their last two games. The Bears fall to 3-4 on the season.

Potsdam opened the scoring early in the first period as sophomore Carly Richards (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) tallied just 23 seconds in. The Engineers rallied as junior Afton Marshall (Windham, NH/Salem) scored, but the visiting Bears quickly regained their advantage as sophomore Sierra Langkammerer (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manilus) recorded back-to-back goals for a 4-2 lead with 16:23 remaining.

Rensselaer pulled to within one on junior Tracy Breslin's (Latham, NY/Shaker) first goal of the season, but Richards answered for Potsdam to grab a two-goal lead once more. The Engineers finally found their momentum through the last nine minutes of the contest, scoring four straight goals to take a 6-4 lead. Sophomore Emma Albert (Baldwinsville, NY/CW Baker) and rookie Alissa Peterson (Gaithersburg, MD/Quince Orchard) led the charge, each tallying on the free position during the stretch.

The Engineers grabbed their largest lead of the game to open the second half and continued to add on as senior captain Sam Fennessey (Gansevoort, NY/Saratoga Springs) and Albert both tallied to push the RPI advantage to 8-4.

Potsdam's Molly Lehman-Lewis (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy) cut the deficit to 8-5 at 19:28, but RPI poured on the offense once more as senior captain Whitney Kukol (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) scored on the free position and Maguire tallied off an incredible pass from Marshall, who was screened by three players on the left side of the goal.

Despite a goal by Richards with 9:34 left in the game, Potsdam was able to get no closer as the Engineers tacked on two more goals by Stephanie Caouette (Wynantskill, NY/Columbia) and Peterson, and played solid defense down the stretch to secure the victory.

In addition to Maguire, RPI saw Peterson, Caouette and Albert each tally two goals. Marshall added a goal and two assists, while Kukol, Fennessey and Breslin each scored. In goal, senior Ariana Hood (Severn, MD/Old Mill) picked up the win, stopping five shots in 51:28 minutes. Freshman Allie Arnal (Lakewood, NY/Phillips Exeter Academy) came on in the final 8:32 minutes, stopping one shot in her collegiate debut.

For Potsdam, Richards recorded a game-best three goals and added an assist. Langkammerer and Lehman-Lewis accounted for the Bears other three tallies. Sophomore Kaci Milligan (Liverpool, NY/Bishop Ludden) shouldered the loss, making nine saves.

Both teams return to action next weekend as RPI opens its Liberty League schedule. The Engineers host #4 Hamilton on Friday (4pm) and welcome William Smith on Saturday (2pm). Potsdam is also in action next Friday opening its SUNYAC schedule at SUNY Cortland (4pm).