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TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore Aleena Milinski made 14 saves and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team got goals from nine different student-athletes in defeating Vassar College, 12-5, in a Liberty League contest at Renwyck Field. The Engineers improve to 6-8 overall and 4-4 in the conference and remain alive for a post-season tournament berth. The Brewers fall to 6-7 and 3-4 and also have a chance for a league bid.

Milinski (Beaver Falls, PA / Blackhawk) had six saves in the first half as RPI built a 9-2 lead at the break. She followed with eight more in the second, including several point-blank stops and five saves on six Vassar free-position opportunities. She also had a pair of ground balls and a caused turnover in improving her record to 6-8.

The Engineers broke a scoreless tie with three goals in an eight minute span. Sophomore midfielder Michelle Bolger (Williston, VT / Rice Memorial) scored at 28:17, before Casey Clarke (Seattle, WA / Lakeside School) and Abbey Salvon (Longmeadow, MA / Longmeadow) notched free-position goals at 21:39 and 20:25, respectively. Salvon's second of the game and 14th of the season at 14:42 made it 4-0 for the home team.

Vassar got on the board with a goal from senior Pheobe Hankins (Belvedere, CA / San Francisco University) just 57 seconds later (13:45), but sophomore Maddy Aslansan (Philadelphia, PA / Springside Chestnut Hill Academy) slipped a shot inside the right front post less than a minute (12:57) after the marker from Hankins. 

The Brewers once again pulled to within three goals, 5-2, on the 25th of the season for Tessa Waters (Skokie, IL / Loyola Academy), but RPI scored the final four of the first frame for a seven-goal edge. Bolger and Morgan Doyle (Syracuse, NY / Corcoran) both had free-position goals before Becca DeRosa (Fair Lawn, NJ / Immaculate Heart Academy) scored her second of the year at 4:38 and Liz Brady (Bradford, MA / Haverhill) notched her fifth with only seven seconds left.

Rensselaer had twice as many shots (18-9) than Vassar in the first half and 11 more ground balls (25-14). The Engineers were 4 of 4 on free-positions, while the Brewers were 0 for 2.

Senior Sophie Hager (Northport, NY / Northport) made it a 10-2 lead, but Vassar's Julia Trudell (Newtown, CT / Newtown) scored consecutive goals - her 16th and 17th on the year - for a 10-4 deficit with 12:58 remaining. Carly Kirchner (Niskayuna, NY / Niskayuna) scored two minutes later on a free-position for RPI.

Salvon, a midfielder, led all players with three goals and an assist while adding six ground balls and five draw controls. Bolger had two goals, eight ground balls, a pair of draw controls and a caused turnover and sophomore Erin Goodwin (Kensington, CT / Berlin) added eight ground balls of her own, along with five caused turnovers.

Trudell scored twice on four shots (3 on goal) with a draw control, while Waters had six shots, all on goal, five ground balls and two draw controls. Junior Emily Chancey (Hollywood, FL / University of NSY) made 11 saves in the cage for the Brewers, who host league foes Clarkson University and St. Lawrence University next weekend.

RPI closes out the regular season with a game against conference opponent Skidmore College on Friday at 7pm in Troy.