Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y. – Three players recorded multiple goals as the Rensselaer women's lacrosse team held on for a 10-8 victory over William Smith, clinching a spot in the Liberty League Tournament for the second straight season. With the win, the Engineers improve to 9-4 overall and 5-2 in the Liberty League, while the Herons drop to 5-9 (3-4 Liberty League).

RPI also pulled into a tie with Skidmore for third place in the league and now cannot finish any lower than fourth.

Senior Stephanie Caouette (Wynantskill, NY/Columbia) opened the scoring at 4:58 of the first half, taking a feed from sophomore Alissa Peterson (Gaithersburg, MD/Quince Orchard), and firing past William Smith sophomore goaltender Jesse Wilson (Rutland, VT/Rutland) for her 23rd of the season.

The Herons answered quick, scoring three straight times over a 2:43 span to take a 3-1 lead. Sophomore Kathleen Ragan (Topsfield, MA/Masconomet) netted the game-tying goal before assisting on final goal of the run – a marker by freshman Hannah Schickel (Natick, MA/Montrose School).

Rensselaer battled back to tie the game (3-3) at 9:04 of the opening stanza, as Peterson and graduate student Whitney Kukol (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) found the target for their 26th and 14th goals of the season, respectively.

The two schools then traded a set of goals, until the 23:53 mark of the half, when Kukol put the visitors up 7-6 with an unassisted tally – here second of the contest and 15th of the year. RPI carried the one-goal into the break, despite being outshot 15-9 through the first 30 minutes of play. The Herons also had a 9-6 ground ball advantage and a 10-4 draw control edge.

Sophomore Shannon Maguire (Randolph, NY/Randolph) and senior Jen Greenwood (Newtown, CT/Newtown) each scored to kick-start the second half, pushing the Engineers' lead to 9-6, 6:44 in the frame.

William Smith senior attack Cassie Findlay (Riverside, CT/Episcopal) notched the home side's first goal of the second half (9:10) to pull within 9-7, but Caouette answered seven and a half minutes later to give RPI back its three-goal edge (10-7).

A free-position tally by Katherine Vesce (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor) brought the Herons to within two (10-8), but the Engineers were able to hold onto the win, as RPI sophomore netminder Allie Arnal (Lakewood, NY/Phillips Exeter Academy) made 10 saves.

The Engineers return to action tomorrow afternoon, when they visit Rochester (2pm).