TROY, N.Y. – With 28 seconds showing on the clock at ECAV Stadium Sunday evening, senior Gwen Barnes picked the right time to score her second goal of the season as her tally broke a 1-1 tie to lift the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over SUNY New Paltz.
 
The Engineers wasted no time getting on the board, scoring just 80 seconds in courtesy of Veronica Martinez de Pinillos. After a corner kick was headed out back to the corner to the foot of Mikayla Walsh, Walsh then sent the ball back into the box to the far post. Waiting there was Martinez de Pinillos, who headed the ball into the net to give RPI the 1-0 lead.
 
The score stayed that way into the half, as the Engineers held the one goal lead. New Paltz came out aggressive in the second half, getting off three scoring chances in the opening 15 minutes of the half.
 
In the 82^nd minute, New Paltz would even the score, as a shot from Rachel Eisert found the back of the net. The equalizer came on a helper from Addison Weiner.
 
As the clock wound down in the final minute, the Engineers made a push up the field. With ball bouncing in the box, a header from Rachel Borra deflected to the foot of Gwen Barnes, who spun and shot the ball toward the net. The ball slipped past New Paltz goalkeeper Maddie Franklin to give the Engineers a 2-1 lead that stood through the final horn.
 
Borra finished with a team-high three shots with two on goal, while Skelding and Megan Wampner combined for four saves. For New Paltz, Franklin made five saves while Eisert led the way with four shots.
 
RPI returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. when they head up I-87 to take on the Plattsburgh State Cardinals in Plattsburgh.