Box Score Watch (RPI TV)

TROY, N.Y. - Senior Alissa Peterson set the school record for goals in a single season and classmate Shannon Maguire had two goals and three assists to lead the No. 18 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team to a 12-5 win over Vassar College in the semifinals of the Liberty League Tournament at Renwyck Field. RPI, the defending champion and top seed, improves to 13-3 and faces either second-seeded St. Lawrence University or third-seeded William Smith College in the championship game on Saturday at 3pm. The Brewers, who established a school record for wins in a season, conclude with a 12-4 mark.

Peterson (Gaithersburg, MD / Quince Orchard) scored three times in the game, including her 44th of the season, which sets the school record. Nikki Hebert had the previous mark of 43. Peterson's biggest goal of the day was actually her 43rd of the year, which came with only one second left in the first half and put the Engineers ahead by four goals, 7-3. That tally came just 22 seconds after RPI made it 6-3 following a draw control win after a goal by the Brewers.

Celebrating her birthday, Peterson's first goal was also the game's first goal and it came at 19:06 on an assist from Maguire (Randolph, NJ / Randolph). The Engineers doubled the lead at 14:36 when Maguire scored her first of the game and 31st of the year. Junior Rachel Scofield (Albany, NY / Colonie) made it 3-0 just over two minutes later, with Maguire earning her second assist of the day, and the Brewers were forced to call a timeout. 

Vassar cut its deficit to one following goals by junior Phoebe Tzannes (Lexington, MA / Lexington), her 25th of the season, and sophomore Dara Davis (Guilford, CT / Guilford), her 43rd, which led to an RPI timeout. The Engineers responded and scored the next two goals to regain its three-goal edge, but the Brewers once again cut into it, this time on a goal by Isabelle Goldstein (Belmont, MA / Belmont), who scored with 1:18 left in the first half for a 5-3 difference. Scofield's second of the game, followed by Peterson's second, gave Rensselaer a 7-3 lead at halftime. 

The Engineers took control of the contest in the second half, scoring the first five goals of the frame for a 12-3 lead with 9:01 to play. Scofield, who is tied for the school record for assists in a season (22), scored her third of the afternoon, followed by Peterson's record-setter, Michelle Denny's (Lusby, MD / Patuxent) second of the day and two from freshman Mackenzie O'Neil (Duxbury, MA / Milton Academy). Vassar's Tzannes scored the final two goals for the 12-5 final.

In addition to her offense, Maguire had a game-high seven draw controls and two ground balls, while Scofield added five draw controls and a game-best six ground balls. Senior Allie Arnal (Lakewood, NY / Phillips Exeter) earned the win in goal, stopping two shots, both in the first half. 

Vassar's Katharine Pula (Washington Township, NJ / Immaculate Heart Academy) finished with eight saves, with five coming in the first half. Hilary McDonnell (Philadelphia, PA / Springside School) had two stops in the final 9:01. Eve Toland (Nyack, NY / Nyack), a sophomore, had a team-high six ground balls.