Hockey's four first-period goals defeat Saint Michael's, 7-1

Skidmore's men's ice hockey team improved to 11-9-2 on the season with a big 7-1 win over Saint Michael's College Saturday afternoon.

The victory came during the Thoroughbreds last home contest of the regular season, as they travel to Trinity and Wesleyan next weekend to vie for home ice in the ECAC East playoffs.

Sophomore Brett Bandazian (Wyckoff, N.J.) scored two goals and dished out an assist to increase his team lead in points, now standing at seven goals, 12 assists, 19 points. Freshman goalie Colin Bessey (Montclair, N.J.) picked up the win with 30 saves. He also helped the Thoroughbreds to a 3-3 tie with 23 saves against 13th-ranked Norwich University Friday evening.

Women's basketball is still in the hunt for a playoff bid of its own, coming off of a 1-1 Liberty League weekend.

The women handed Vassar College a 79-51 loss Friday night with senior Kellye Caufield (Monroe, Conn.) leading the way with 17 points. Junior Sharlyn Harper (New York, N.Y.) posted 13 points in a 74-62 loss to second-place RPI in Skidmore's first game of the weekend on Friday night.

The Thoroughbreds, now 9-14 and 6-6 in conference play, will host Hamilton and William Smith next weekend in an important slate of conference games to determine playoff berths.

Freshman diver Doug Pilawa (Chesterland, Ohio) continued his success on the diving board as he set new meet records in both one- and three-meter diving at the Vassar Men's Sprint Invitational Saturday afternoon. The Thoroughbreds finished second in the meet with a score of 130.

Pilawa earned a score of 283.90 in one-meter diving, scratching the old record of 231.25, and posted a 293.45 in three-meter, besting the old record of 268.60.

In men's basketball action sophomore Jeff Altimar (Medfield, Mass.) had 15 points for the Thoroughbreds in a heartbreaking 74-73 loss to Vassar on Friday evening, while senior Jake Shechtman (Wynnewood, Pa.) had 16 points in Saturday's 69-63 loss to RPI. ~By Sytiva Seitz