Box Score Box Score

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Sophomore Kelly Blackhurst (North River, N.Y./Johnsburg) tied a program record with 10 points to lead the fifth-ranked Skidmore College field hockey team to a 7-3 win over RPI in Saturday's Liberty League opener at Thoroughbred Field.

Blackhurst scored four goals and had two assists, becoming the fifth player in school history with 10 points in a game and first since Emily Clark in 2005.

The Thoroughbreds improve to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the league, improving their home winning streak to 21 games, while the Engineers fall to 2-2 and 0-1.

Blackhurst got Skidmore on the board one minute in when she took a crossing pass from Pauline Searles (Glens Falls, N.Y./Glens Falls) and beat RPI keeper Briana Earle (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker). Just over seven minutes later, Lauren Tobias (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South) scored on a crossing pass from Jackie Slocombe (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) to make it 2-0.

The Engineers cut the lead to one at the 24:41 mark on Alissa Peterson's (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) third goal of the season, a blast from the top of the circle. But less than a minute later, Blackhurst pushed the lead back to two when she put home a rebound for her second score of the game. The Thoroughbreds made it 4-1 with less than a minute left in the half when Sam Skott (Hoosick Falls, N.Y./Hoosick Falls) redirected a cross from Blackhurst for her second goal of the season.

Blackhurst opened the scoring in the second half as well, beating a defender one-on-one and scoring from the center of the circle to make it 5-1. Tori Elliott (Hampstead, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) cut the lead to 5-2 at the 44:43 mark, taking a pass from Kierstan Ryan (Levittown, Pa./Harry S. Truman) and beating the keeper for her first goal of the season.

Exactly one minute later, the Thoroughbreds answered back when Ceilidh MacNeill (Framingham, Mass./St. Mark's School) redirected a shot from Blackhurst for her first goal of the season. Skidmore capped of its scoring at the 52:23 mark when freshman Sam Revera (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place) fed Blackhurst in front of the goal and she put it home for her fourth of the game and ninth of the season.

The Engineers were able to add another score with eight seconds remaining as Liana Viaggio (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) scored off a corner to make it 7-3. Peterson and Sarah Krolus (Westminster, Md./Garrison Forest School) assisted on the goal.

Freshman goalkeeper Haley McDougall (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) earned the win for the Throroughbreds, making two stops in 67:43 of action. Earle suffered the loss despite making 16 saves for RPI.

Skidmore held a 15-7 advantage on penalty corners and outshot the Engineers, 27-6.

The Thoroughbreds host Nazareth tomorrow at 1 p.m., while RPI hosts St. John Fisher on Sept. 21.