SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.- The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team earned a 12-10 victory over Skidmore in the opening round of the Liberty League women's lacrosse championship this evening. 

Megan Shay scored a game-high five goals to guide RPI into the Liberty League semifinals for the first time since 2018. The back and forth contest featured seven lead changes, while the two squads were also tied on seven different occasions.

After Shay opened the scoring with 1:09 elapsed in the first period, Skidmore scored three straight to establish an early advantage. The Thoroughbred lead would be short-lived though, as Audrey Silverman and Quinn Wollard would level the action at 3-3 for the Engineers with consecutive scores late in the frame.

Skidmore found the back of the net with 48 seconds left in the first, commencing a stretch of six goals in a row exchanged from side to side. Shay owned all three scores for the Engineers in the second period, including a strike with 49 ticks left that tied things at 6-6 going into the half.

Shay stayed hot going into the third quarter, as she needed only 22 seconds to put RPI ahead 7-6.

Back to back goals from Skidmore allowed the hosts to jump back ahead 8-7 midway the third, however RPI would respond with five of the next six goals going into the fourth to take control in the final frame.

Ella Graff had three goals, while Silverman and Emily Speck contributed solo scores in the game-changing rally. 

Silverman topped the Engineers with two assists. Shay, Wollard, and Lauren DeLeo had one helper each as well. Jenny Canfield turned away 10 shots in net, with six of her saves coming in a second-half effort that saw Skidmore limited to only four goals after halftime. 

The Engineers advance to a Liberty League semifinal meeting on Friday at 4:00 pm against top-seeded Ithaca.