FRESHMAN JAMIE WAKEFIELD NAVIGATES the field in Rensselaer’s win over SUNY Potsdam last week. Wakefield scored two goals this weekend for the Engineers.RPI women’s lacrosse continued its success into the weekend as it earned two more wins to remain undefeated on the season. The Engineers defeated the University of Rochester Yellowjackets in a 14-4 decision to open their Liberty League campaign, and followed up with a 13-12 victory over the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers the next afternoon. The two wins put Rensselaer at 7-0 overall on the season, including a 2-0 record in conference action.
The first game of the weekend saw eight different Engineers hit the back of the net as Rensselaer easily defeated the University of Rochester 14-4. Junior Shannon Maguire started things just 53 seconds into the match, and scored again less than five minutes later to give RPI a 2-0 advantage. Although Rochester knotted the game with 18 minutes remaining in the half, sophomore Marissa Page netted back-to-back goals just over a minute apart, and senior Madeline Sisson tallied one of her own to give Rensselaer a 5-2 lead heading into halftime.
Rensselaer carried that momentum into the second half, where sophomore Meg Colitz scored less than two minutes following intermission, and classmate Rachel Scofield added two of her own to make it an 8-2 match. Although Rochester managed to get one past RPI junior goaltender Allie Arnal, freshman Jamie Wakefield, Page, and Sisson responded with three goals to create an eight-goal deficit.
The Yellowjackets lit up the scoreboard once more in the match, but sophomores Michelle Denny and Julia Wright combined for three more goals to close out the game 14-4, RPI. Arnal finished with nine saves, while Rochester freshman netminder Maddie Elia made five stops.
RPI took on the newest member of the Liberty League in its first match ever against the RIT Tigers the following afternoon. Despite the close game, Rensselaer emerged the victor and moved to a perfect 7-0 overall on the season.
Sisson led the charge for the Engineers, scoring four goals in the 13-12 victory—including the game-tying goal in the second half. In addition, she also assisted on two other tallies.
The first half saw the two teams combine for 16 goals, as Rensselaer led 9-7 going into the intermission. The Engineers and Tigers exchanged tallies throughout the first 30 minutes of play, starting with Maguire’s first of two on the afternoon. Scofield and Colitz hit the back of the net twice each, while Wakefield also contributed in the effort. Sisson scored three of her goals in the half, bringing the Engineers’ total to nine.
Maguire started the second half with her second goal less than three minutes following the break. Denny’s goal at 23:58 gave RPI an 11-9 advantage, but the Tigers bounced back with three-straight goals to take a 12-11 lead. Sisson tallied her fourth of the afternoon, and assisted on Page’s game-winning tally in the final nine minutes of play.
Arnal finished with 14 saves in her seventh-straight win, while at the other end of the field junior goaltender Katelyn Crane had eight saves.
After the match, Arnal was named the league’s Defensive Performer of the Week for the fourth-straight week. Her 6.03 goals against average, and .617 save percentages tops all netminders in the conference.
The women’s lacrosse team continues its Liberty League schedule with three home games this week, including one non-conference match. The Engineers host the Clarkson University Golden Knights on Friday at 4 pm, and the St. Lawrence University Saints on Saturday at 2 pm. Rensselaer then welcomes the Williams College Ephs on Tuesday at 6:30 pm for its last non-conference game of the year. All games will be played on Renwyck Field.