TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore Sophie Hager scored with 43.8 seconds left the third overtime to give the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) a 9-8 victory over Skidmore College in the Liberty League opener for both teams. With the win, the Engineers improve to 3-3 overall (1-0 Liberty League), while the Thoroughbreds drop to 5-3 (0-1 Liberty League).

The game, which lasted 77:16, is the longest in RPI women's lacrosse history, surpassing a 10-9 loss to William Smith on April 24, 2004, which also went three overtime periods. The victory was the 12th consecutive regular season league win for the Engineers, who are now 37-7 in such games since 2010.

Skidmore appeared to have scored the winning goal 2:00 into the third extra session, but multiple Thoroughbreds dropped their sticks and, by rule, the goal was disallowed. The Engineers then had two scoring chances in the frame, but a free position try from Jamie Wakefield (Windsor, CT/Windsor) went wide of the target, before Meg Colitz (East Greenwich, RI/LaSalle Academy) saw her shot stopped by Thoroughbreds goaltender Megan Kolopsky (Amherst, NH/Souhegan) with just two seconds to go.

In the second half of the third OT, Skidmore leading scorer, Tyler Phillips (Marblehead, MA/Marblehead) marched the period-opening draw control right down the field, but her attempt was denied by RPI senior netminder Erin Amarello (Griswold, CT/St. Bernard School), just 14 seconds in.

Sixteen seconds later, Kolopsky tipped a shot by junior Mackenzie O'Neil (Duxbury, MA/Milton Academy) over the bar at the other end of the field. RPI then went on the attack, before Hager (Northport, NY/Northport) was finally able fire past Kolopsky to win it. The unassited tally was Hager's seventh of the season.

Thoroughbreds junior Emma Harris (Mountain Lakes, NJ/Mountain Lakes) was the catalyst for the offense throughout regulation, netting a game-high five goals, including the first of the game, which came almost 20 minutes in.

The hosts answered with two straight, from Wakefield and O'Neil, to take a 2-1 lead with 8:26 left in the first half. Harris then knotted the score at 2-2, less than two minutes later. 

Following a go-head goal by RPI junior Erin DeLucca (East Lyme, CT/East Lyme), the Thoroughbreds bagged two in a row before the half, including a man-up tally, to regain a one-goal lead (4-3) at the half. 

Senior Erin Riley (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) got the Engineers out to fast start in the second, scoring two goals just 35 seconds apart. The markers, which were assisted by DeLucca and Hager, respectively, were Riley's 12th and 13th of the season.

Harris responded with 20:41 to play in the second half, tallying for the fourth time, to make it 5-5.

The two teams then traded goals down the stretch, with Phillips picking up two of Skidmore final three goals of the game. Colitz gave RPI an 8-7 edge with 4:49 left in regulation, but Harris came right back with a free position goal to tie it (8-8), just 49 seconds later. 

Both teams had two shots on goal in the first overtime, but Amarello and Kolopsky were up the task on all four occasions. The Engineers carried play in the second OT, but tries from Riley and Wakefield were kept out by the Skidmore backstop.

A turnover-plagued second overtime saw DeLucca get sent to the sideline with a yellow card, but the RPI defense held strong and Amarello came up with a big save on a shot by Skidmore senior Peggy Healy (Northborough, MA/Algonquin Regional), with 46 seconds left in the period.

Amarello (3-3) finished with 15 saves, including one in each of the final three overtime periods. Kolopsky (5-3) had 14 stops at the other end of the field. Skidmore finished with a 35-31 edge in ground balls and a 15-10 advantage in draw controls. 

Riley finished with two goals on six shots, with a game-high four caused turnovers, three ground balls and three draw controls. Wakefield also had two goals on a game-best 10 shots. She collected six ground balls and four draw controls, while causing two Skidmore turnovers. 

Harris paced the Thoroughbreds with five goals and an assist. She also had a ground ball and was 2 for 4 on free position attempts. Phillips had two goals on six shots, with a ground ball, five caused turnovers and three draw controls.

The Engineers are back in action on Friday, when they host Vassar College at Renwyck Field (4pm). Skidmore hosts Bard College on Friday (4pm).