SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Sophomores Avery Geddes and Amelia Bassett each scored four goals as the Skidmore College women's lacrosse team  won its first game since 2019 with a 16-11 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University in a non-conference match Saturday at Wachenheim Field.
 
Playing its fourth game in 11 days – all on the road -- Eastern (3-1) scored three unanswered goals to trim an early four-goal deficit to one in the opening minutes  before Geddes sparked Skidmore's run of three straight in a five-minutes stretch that allowed the Thoroughbreds to eventually regain a four-goal, 12-8 lead 12 minutes into the second half on the way to their season-opening win.
 
Coming off last year's abbreviated 0-5 season, Skidmore had last won in the first round of the Liberty League playoffs against Vassar College on April 30, 2019. It had lost its last six.
 
Having amassed a nearly 2-to-1 advantage in draws in its first three matches, Eastern had a -5 deficit against Skidmore, with sophomore transfer Caroline Stent (Weatogue) winning five of Eastern's 12 and senior Tristan Kijak (Windsor) three.
 
Averaging 14 turnovers in its first three games, Eastern committed 20 Saturday but won the ground ball battle, 23-18. Kijak and freshman Kaylee Drobish (Wallingford) both had four.
 
Featuring 17 freshmen and sophomores on its 22-player roster, Skidmore got five ground balls and three caused turnovers from sophomore Phoebe Beshlian and six draws from freshman Lara Strunk.
 
Stent and Kijak each had three goals – Stent improving her season-best total of 17 – and sophomore transfer Jessie Pyrek-Bennett (Monroe) and sophomore transfer Shay Ventresca (Oakdale) two.
 
Eastern opens its home schedule Sunday, hosting New England College in a non-conference match at 1 p.m. at Rick McCarthy Field.