TROY, N.Y. - Hailey Brigger and Gianna Trunifio both scored twice and the Vassar College field hockey team used four second half goals to separate itself from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), defeating the Engineers 5-1 in a Liberty League contest at Harkness Field. The Brewers improve to 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while RPI drops to 4-4 and 0-1.

Vassar turned a 1-1 score into a 3-1 advantage seven minutes into the second half with a pair of goals from Brigger, a junior. Her first was an opportunity she created herself by working her way past defenders to gain the circle and then firing a shot out of the reach of goalkeeper Jen Richardson. That made it a 2-1 game just 3:58 into the second half. 

Brigger's second of the contest came less than four minutes later when she ripped a reverse shot from near the left arc of the circle that found the right corner of the cage, again just past an outstretched Richardson. 

Sofia Beseth added a marker for the visitors when she scored off-balance on a rebound shot that was generated by a penalty corner. Trunifio and Maggier Werner combined for the second time in the game 3:20 into the fourth quarter.

The Engineers battled back from a 1-0 deficit to tie the game with 2:56 remaining in the first half when junior Dani Samuelson batted a ball that was over her head into the cage for her second goal of the season. 

RPI had six first half shots, while Vassar had seven, including six in the second quarter. The Brewers held an 8-4 edge in that category in the second half.

Richardson finished with four saves for the Engineers, who drew eight corners to Vassar's six. Sarah Dumaresq finished with three saves in the victory.

Rensselaer is right back in action on Sunday when it travels to St. John Fisher for a non-league game (1pm). The Brewers play again next Saturday at league foe Ithaca College (1pm).