Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Juniors Adam Beek and Brock Bakewell each tallied to lead the Skidmore College men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), this evening in the Liberty League Semifinals at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Thoroughbreds improve to 12-5-2 and advance to the league championship game. The Engineers move to 11-5-2 overall.

Beek (Kingston, Jamaica/Kent School) opened the scoring in the eighth minute, when he curled a corner kick directly into to the RPI goal from the left. Netting his sixth goal of the season, Beek's right-footed ball found its way inside the far post, untouched.

Skidmore nearly made it 2-0 in the 20th minute when a corner kick found sophomore centerback Jesse Evensky (Dewitt, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) at the far post, but his point blank shot was blocked by the RPI defense.

Rensselaer junior Tim Terrezza (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) collected a partial clearance after an RPI corner in the 33rd minute, but his shot went twisting high and wide of goal. Neither team was able to threaten goal for the remainder of the half as the Thoroughbreds took a narrow 6-5 edge in shots into the break.

The Engineers picked up their play early in the second stanza as they drew consecutive corner kicks in the 53rd and 54th minutes, but were unable to direct a shot on goal.

Bakewell (Tucson, AZ/Salpointe Catholic) put the visitors ahead 2-0 in the 69th minute, when he smashed home a header off a cross by senior Alex Hodor-Lee (Manhattan, NY/American University), against the run of play. The Thoroughbreds found Hodor-Lee streaking up the right flank, before he whipped in a cross to Bakewell, who made no doubt about his 12th marker of the year.

RPI continued the press over the final 20 minutes, but were unable to crack sophomore goalkeeper Eli Kisselbach (Stamford, CT/Westhill) and the Skidmore defense. The Engineers' had four shot attempts within three minute stretch, but three missed the net and a fourth was kept out by Kisselbach.

The hosts finished with a 15-11 advantage in shots to go along with a 5-4 edge in corners taken. Kisselbach (9-4-1) stopped all five shots he faced to earn his fifth shutout, while Rensselaer junior keeper Rob Dewald (Arlington, VA/Washington-Lee) recorded four saves.

Skidmore visits St. Lawrence on Saturday for the Liberty League Championship game. Kick-off time for that match has yet to be determined.