TROY, N.Y. – Senior Emily Kaplan scored the game's only goal in the in the 70th minute to lift the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Ithaca College, on Saturday afternoon at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers clinch a spot in the 2019 Liberty League Tournament and improve to 8-6-2 overall (5-4-0 Liberty League). The Bombers conclude their season at 9-7-1 (4-5-0 Liberty League).

RPI will be the fifth seed and travel to fourth seed St. Lawrence University on Thuesday afternoon (TBA).

Kaplan (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) broke the scoreless tie in the 70th minute after getting payed into the box by classmate Jacqui Richard (Southwick, MA/Westminster School). Ithaca goalkeeper Sara Jakobsze (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) came sliding out to try to corral the ball, but popped free to Kaplan, who saw her first two shots blocked and saved, before she found the right side-netting for her fourth goal of the season.

Ithaca had a handful of free kick opportunities over the final 20 minutes, including on from straight away by senior McKensie Galusha (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford-Mendon) that was blocked by the RPI wall. Less than a minute earlier, sophomore Megan O'Reilly (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) sent a low hard shot towards goal that was stopped and held by RPI senior goalkeeper Joey Lyons (Harwood, MD/Southern).

The majority of RPI's first half chances came from distance, including a rocket of a shot from sophomore Whitney Wisnom (Hillsborough, CA/Design Tech.) in the 20th minute. She had a game-high five attempts in the opening stanza, including four on goal.

Kaplan nearly gave RPI a 1-0 lead earlier in the second half, but her point blank shot in the 49th minute was kept out by Jakobsze. Just a minute later, Wisnom got loose at the top of the box, but her shot sailed over the crossbar.

Lyons (6-6-2) stopped four shots for her sixth shutout of the season and 23rd of her career. She is two shy of the RPI career mark of 25, which is held by RPI Athletics Hall of Famer, Laura Gregor '00. Jakobsze (9-7-1) finished with 11 saves at the other end.

RPI finished with a 17-11 shot advantage, including 12-4 on goal. Ithaca won three corners to the Engineers' none.

Kaplan's goal is the 15th of her RPI career, which ranks 15th in school history. The victory over the Bombers was RPI's first in 11 tries. The Engineers had only two goals in 10 previous meetings with Ithaca.