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TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Arena Manning scored the only goal of the game, to lead the 21st-ranked Skidmore College women's soccer team to a, 1-0, victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), this evening at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Thoroughbreds improve to 11-2-2 overall (6-2 Liberty League), while the Engineers conclude their season at 8-8-1 (3-5 Liberty League). 

It didn't take long for Skidmore to strike for the game's only goal, as junior Caty Sheridan (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) slipped a ball into the box for Manning (Cambridge, MA/St. George's), who finished past the sprawling effort of RPI senior goalkeeper Steph Vargas (Fogelsville, PA/Allentown Central Catholic). The tally, which was her fifth of the season, came in the fifth minute of play.

Manning nearly made 2-0 in the 25th minute, when she broke behind the Rensselaer defense, but her right-footed shot curled wide of the left post.

The Engineers turned in a pair of chances late in the first half. Senior Sam Lamorte (Pawling, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) was played in down the middle of the field, but her shot sailed high and wide of the target. Then, after a pair of corner kicks, senior Brittany Van Grouw (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) delivered a cross inside the six-yard area for freshman Cori Winslow (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa), but her header towards goal was blocked by the Skidmore defense.

RPI kept pressing in the second half, as junior Taylor Korytko (Tampa, FL/Hamilton) played Lamorte in behind the Thoroughbred defense in the 50th minute, but Lamorte's attempt on goal was stopped and held by junior keeper Gab Lawrence (Yorktown, NY/Yorktown).

Then, after another set of consecutive corners, junior Sandy Kirk (Houston, TX/Clear Lake) found herself alone at the top of the 18, but her shot missed just over the crossbar, in the 59th minute.

Rensselaer's best chance to equalize came moments later, when Winslow got behind Lawrence on the dribble, but couldn't get a clean shot away, before Skidmore freshman Zoe Coleman (Amherst, MA/Amherst) was able to tackle the ball out of danger.

The Engineers finished with an 11-8 edge in shots, while taking six corner kicks to the Thoroughbreds' none. Lawrence (11-2-2) made three saves to earn her ninth shutout of the season, while Vargas (3-5-1) came away with two saves, before being relieved by freshman Lex Jimenez (Lewston, ME/Lewiston) in the 79th minute.

Skidmore is back in action on Saturday, when it visits Nazareth for a non-league affair (3pm).