Box Score
Junior striker Katie Benson (Clifton Park, NY / Shenendehowa) netted a hat trick and added two assists in Albany's 5-2 win over Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. ACPHS improved to 8-3-1 while the MCLA Trailblazers fell to 3-9.\

The Panthers got the scoring started early in this one, with Benson scoring her first of the game in the 7^th minute. Sophomore Sydney Rule (Ballston Spa, NY / Ballston Spa) picked up the ball at midfield and put Benson's partner-in-crime Erin Tersegno (Webster, NY / Webster Thomas) through on goal. Tersegno's effort was saved well by Trailblazer keeper Megan Richardson, but Benson pounced on the rebound to give the Panthers a one goal lead.

Tersegno doubled the ACPHS lead in the 19^th minute, after Benson shielded the ball from two MCLA defenders and found her fellow striker running in behind. Tersegno finished near post and the rout seemed to be on for the Panthers. This would not be the case though, as MCLA's Hannah Van De Water cut the deficit in half in the 31^st minute. Massachusetts Midfielder Shannon Pouty lofted a hopeful long ball forward that sophomore stopper Sally Slowinski (Colrain, MA / Mohawk Trail) came to collect but could not get to in time. The ball fell to Van De Water who tapped it into the vacated net to send the teams into halftime with the score 2-1 in Albany's favor.

The 2^nd half saw plenty of offense from both sides, as each created chance after chance. Albany finally capitalized through Benson, after her and Tersegno ran a give-and-go that put the star junior behind the MCLA defense. Benson struck the shot well and beat Richardson high, which gave Albany a 3-1 lead in the 63^rd minute. Tersegno wrapped the game up for ACPHS seven minutes later, latching onto a pass from Benson and netting her 10^th goal of the year. Van De Water scored her 2^nd for MCLA in the 75^th and Benson completed her hat trick in the 80^th on an assist from Rule.

Slowinski made eight saves in the 90 minutes, and moved her season record to 6-1. Benson's three goals raised her tally to 24 on the season, 14 more than the 2^nd place Panther: Erin Tersegno.

ACPHS heads back to conference play this Sunday, October 22^nd, when they host Pratt Institute at 1pm.