Potsdam, N.Y.- A nine goal first half paved the way for the Clarkson University Women's Lacrosse team as they earned a 14-11 victory over RIT, Saturday afternoon at Hantz Field. 

With the win the Knights improve to 8-5 overall, 2-4 in the Liberty League, looking to keep the playoff hunt alive. RIT falls to 9-4, 5-2 in the conference. 

Prior to the game the team honored three graduate students, Rylee Ganter, Madelynn Barnum and Meredith James and five seniors, Mairead Coyne, Riley Kuzcma, Julia Patterson, Kaitlyn McNamara and Bethany Tanner in a brief senior day celebration. 

Makenna Cassin got the Knights on the board early, just 45 seconds into the game off a feed from Barnum until RIT answered about five minutes later to knot the score up at 1-1. Clarkson would score the final two goals of the first with Barnum and Lauren Shanahan both finding the back of the net giving the Knights a 3-1 advantage after the first 15 minutes.

The second would open up with a bit more back-and-forth play as the Tigers would cut the lead down to 1 at 5-4, outsourcing the Knights 3-2 in the first six minutes of the period. Barnum and Sydney Nakas produced goals for Clarkson to keep the Knights ahead before a four-goal tear to end the half by Clarkson would see the lead balloon to 9-4. Brooklynne Perrigo would dump in a man-up goal, followed by two more from Shanahan and another from McNamara to send the Knights into the break. 

RIT would manage to keep the game within reach in the third, with both teams rattling off three goals apiece. Cassin, McNamara and Barnum would all add another goal to keep the five-goal lead intact headed into the final stanza. The Tigers would manage to get within one, following a four-goal streak of their own to open up the fourth, cutting the score to 12-11 with about eight minutes remaining and all of the momentum on their side. The defense of Clarkson would manage to hold strong over that remaining time frame, limiting the visitors' chances with Riley Donovan making several impressive saves as the backbone in the defensive third of the field. Barnum would get loose to provide some breathing room for the Knights, burying two more chances at the offensive end to lift Clarkson to the victory on senior day. 

Clarkson would hold a slim advantage in shots (31-30) and shots on goal (25-21), while going a perfect 17-17 on clear attempts. 

Barnum would lead the offense with five goals and one assist, setting the new all-time record for points within the program during the second half. Shanahan would add a hat trick of goals of her own while Gabby Cranfield dished out two assists for the Knights. James caused two turnovers at the heart of the defense with Donovan making 10 saves in net for Clarkson. Ellie Ruddy was handed the loss making seven saves in the first half with Grace McDonald stopping four shots in the second half.