POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Sophomore Delana Bonci scored the game's only goal less than a minute into the fourth quarter and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) field hockey team kept No. 16 Vassar College off the board to win the Liberty League opener for both teams. The Engineers improve to 2-5 overall, while the Brewers drop to 7-2.

RPI drew a penalty corner early in the fourth, and the ball was inserted to Briana Duba at the top of the circle. She took the first shot, but it was deflected into the air by a Vassar defender. Bonci pulled a crafty move right in front of the net and tapped the ball mid-air and right over the stick of goaltender Sarah Dumaresq's stick.

The Brewers had a few chances to score while trailing, including when Leilani Llamas slipped behind the defense and fired toward goal, but junior Jen Richardson made the sae. Vassar did not get a shot off on its final penalty corner, and the Engineers stalled time to hold on for the win.

Rensselaer outshot Vassar 7-6, but the Brewers held a 6-3 corner advantage.

Not a single shot was taken in the first quarter until Vassar's Hailey Brigger sent a shot from the left side into RPI defender Abi Herrington. On the rebound, the The Brewers drew penalty stroke on the rebound, but Richardson stopped Brigger to keep the game scoreless.

The second quarter was similar, with the Engineers outshooting Vassar 2-0, but Dumaresq stopped both Bonci and Duba.

Neither defense buckled in the third, with only three total shots taken. Vassar managed two but had a tough time finding any openings through the RPI backline.

Rensselaer is back on the road next Saturday at St. Lawrence, while the Brewers travels to Skidmore on Saturday. Both games begin at 1pm.