TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Erin Barnes and Olivia Spector each scored their first collegiate goals to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over The Sage Colleges, on Saturday night at East Campus Stadium. With the win, the Engineers improve to 2-2-2, while the Gators drop to 3-2.

Barnes (Hooksett, NH/Londonderry) opened the scoring in the 18th minute, when she ran onto a through ball from senior midfielder Jacqui Richard (Southwick, MA/Westminster School) and tucked a left-footed shot inside the right post for the goal.

Rensselaer doubled its advantage in the 37th minute after earning a free kick 25 yards from goal. Junior MacKenzie Grenier (Warwick, RI/St. Mary's Academy – Bay View) launched a shot off the right post, but Spector (Shamong, NJ/Senenca) was there to stick home the rebound for her first Engineers tally.

The hosts added an insurance goal in the 50th minute, when senior Emily Kaplan (Smithtown, NY/Happauge) saw her cross ricochet off a Sage defender and into the goal.

RPI finished with a 13-7 shot advantage, including 10-5 on goal. The Engineers also had 57% of the possession in the match, but Sage won the corner kick battle, 3-2.

Junior goalkeeper Kate Nadeau (Cohoes, NY/Shaker), who was making her first start in goal for the Engineers, recorded five saves for the shutout. Sage freshman Kallan Shertzer (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) had seven stops at the other end of the field.

The Engineers are back in the field this Saturday, when they open Liberty League play against Bard College (12pm). Sage visits Elmira College on Saturday (1pm).