TROY, N.Y. - Senior JT Kelly had nine points, including six goals, and six teammates also had multiple points as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team defeated Skidmore College 23-10 in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Stadium. The Engineers, who are ranked No. 16 in the latest Division III poll, improve to 9-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference. The Thoroughbreds fall to 3-6 and 0-3.

The game was close through the first six minutes with RPI holding a 5-3 lead after a Skidmore goal by Colby Farnham. Rensselaer needed just 14 seconds to get the goal back and then scored 11 more times for a 17-3 advantage early in the third quarter.

Kelly started the string with second of the game and 22nd of the season off an assist from Owen Putman. The tandem hooked up again, this time with Putman tallying his first of two for the game, for a 7-3 lead with 2:14 left in the first quarter. Kelly then found Will Hatcher - RPI's eighth different goal scorer - stationed in front of the cage and the sophomore put the Engineers ahead by five goals.

Putman scored his 31st of the year with three seconds left in the first and Kelly opened the second quarter scoring 1:02 into the frame off a fastbreak assist from Keaton Ackermann for a 10-3 lead. 

After more than five minutes of scoreless action, RPI potted the final four goals of the half for a 14-3 lead at the break.

Ten of RPI's first half goals were assisted with Kelly (3), Putman (2) and Cooper Urban (2) each collecting more than one. The Engineers had 10 different goal scorers with Kelly (4) and Putman (2) leading the way. Three different players scored for Skidmore in the first 60 minutes.

Rensselaer continued its scoring streak alive in the third quarter as it scored three times in the first minute. Lucas Bastarache scored on an assist from Nicki Phelps at 14:44, Kelly and Ackermann connected for a second time at 14:14 and Tyler Hancock, who won 15 of 20 faceoffs with 11 ground balls in the game, scored unassisted at 14:08 for a 17-3 lead.

Skidmore scored three of the next four goals but could never get to within closer than a dozen. Will Lukas led the visitors with three goals and two assists, along with seven shots (6 on goal). Nine others had one point apiece. Tim Rahill had 10 saves before Benjamin Kacher came in and stopped seven shots.

Three goalies combined for 11 saves for the Engineers, who had the edge in shots (64-33), ground balls (46-23) and faceoffs (28-10). 

Putman finished with five points (2 goals, 3 assists) and Urban had four (1 goal, 3 assists). Nick DeOliveira was second behind Hancock in ground balls with six in part by winning 8 of 10 faceoffs. Ackermann had two assists, four ground balls and five caused turnovers.

Rensselaer's next game is Saturday at No. 3 RIT (12pm), while the Thoroughbreds are back in action on Wednesday at Clarkson University (4pm).