Montclair, NJ (10/13/05) –  Junior midfielder JEN SOSS scored the lone goal while goalkeeper ROBYN APICELLI stopped a season-high 11 shots as 12 th-ranked Montclair State topped No. 6 Skidmore College, 1-0, in battle of NCAA Division III Field Hockey Top 20 teams at Sprague Field on Saturday afternoon.

 The win pushed Montclair State 's mark to 11-1 on the season while Skidmore dropped its second straight 1-0 decision and fell to 10-3 on the year. Stephanie Reed  had four saves for the Thoroughbreds.

 Scoreless through the first 50 minutes of the game, the Red Hawks broke through at the 50:27. Off a penalty corner, Jen Tanis  inserted a pass to KARLI TROISI on the left side. Troisi fired a shot on goal that Reed knocked away, however, the ball came back out to Soss, who backhanded the ball into the cage for her third goal of the season.

 Prior to the goal, the game was a defensive battle with MSU getting the first two chances early. Reed denied Alex Kelly  23 seconds in and Tanis hit the outside of the post. Apicelli meanwhile stopped six shot in the first half, including back-to-back saves on shots by Annie Ledyard and Jessica Bergen  with five minutes to go in the opening period.

 The Thoroughbreds then got their best opportunity in the closing seconds on a penalty corner, one of nine by Skidmore in the game. Alison Starrett  and Shaila Delea  each got attempts that Apicelli turned away. The Delea shot bounced out and Erin Walters-Bugbee who poked the ball toward the goal, but MSU defender KIM DEMKOWICZ  was there to knock the ball away as the half ended.

 In the second half, Skidmore controlled the play for a good portion of the period, however, seven shots were saved by Apicelli, who posted her seventh shutout of the year and 12 th in the past two seasons.

 Skidmore outshot Montclair State , 18-11.

 The Red Hawks return to action on Monday, October 17 as they host Ramapo College in an NJAC matchup at 7:30 pm . That game is a reschedule from a September 14 rainout.