Potsdam, N.Y.- Goals from three different Knights lifted the Clarkson University Women's Soccer team to a 3-0 win, Saturday afternoon, on senior day.
The win sees Clarkson improve to 5-6-3 overall, 2-3-2 in the Liberty League, heading into the final week of the regular season. Before the contest, the Golden Knights honored the Class of 2025, Maddie Lopol, Emily Davis, Chloe Hodge, Arin Bates, Haley Archambault, Grace Smith, Rachel Williams and Molly DiCaprio.
Clarkson took control early on in the first half, settling in quickly against an RPI side determined to turn their recent stretch of losses around. The first clear chance came in the 19th minute where DiCaprio cleared a back pass up the field. The ball took one bounce just inside the RPI half and bounced over the head of an Engineer defender as a fast-reacting Paige Ford gave pursuit. Strong winds continued to push the ball further towards the 18-yard box when Ford managed to get a toe to the ball which was stopped by a sliding Sierra Skelding. Soon after in the 20th minute of action, the Green and Gold found an opening off a dropped-ball on the left wing. Lopol played an initial pass to Davis, who slid the ball right back for Lopol to unleash a dipping shot from 25 yards out. The ball flew over the RPI goalie and just under the crossbar for the first goal of the afternoon.
Not long after in the 25th minute, Clarkson managed to double the lead off a perfectly placed corner from Julia Tylar. The cross in from the right side floated dangerously towards the six-yard line where Ford was able to climb above the crowd, heading the ball into the back of the net for a much needed insurance goal. The Knights managed to keep the RPI attack at bay for much of the first 45, not giving up any clear scoring chances.
As the second half opened, it only took a little less than five minutes for Clarkson to tack on their third goal of the day. In the 50th minute, Hodge jumped on a miscommunication at the back of the Engineer defense, intercepting a pass from a defender in the middle of the field. The senior drove past the backline towards the right side of the penalty box before sending a right footed rocket back towards the bottom left corner. The goalkeeper for RPI managed to get a fingertip on the shot, but it was not enough, as the ball settled in the left-side netting.
The best chance of the game for RPI presented itself in the 68th minute following a quick-counter attack opportunity. In a numbers-up situation, the ball was swung in from the right wing forcing DiCaprio to parry the ball away into a dangerous spot in front of the goal. Brooke Miller collected the loose ball and turned over her left shoulder to send a shot towards the middle of the Clarkson net that was met by none other than DiCaprio, to keep the shutout intact.
At the 71st minute mark, Hodge nearly doubled her personal tally for the day as a rocket off her right foot, from inside the 18, traveled towards the bottom-right corner of the goal. Megan Wampner, in goal for the visitors, was determined to not be beaten again, as she made an impressive diving stop to her right to keep the Clarkson lead at just three.
DiCaprio posted six saves in the win, with few of the RPI long-range shots posing any type of danger, while Skelding registered five and Wampner was credited with one in the shared effort for the visitors.
Clarkson held the advantage in shots (12-9), shots on goal (9-6) and corners (7-1).
