Sunday, November 27, 2011

Women's Hockey - Syracuse (25/26 Nov)

RPI closed out the year's nonconference schedule this weekend with a pair of games at home against Syracuse. Last week, we noted RPI's need to carry the level of intensity and quality of play shown against Wisconsin into their other games. It didn't show consistently on Friday as Syracuse skated to a 4-3 victory, but after a slow start Saturday, the Engineers picked up play and finished strong for a 2-1 victory over the Orange.

Friday

Smelker/Cox/Horton
Mahoney/Harrison/Vandegrift
Sanders/Guillemette/Svoboda
Letuligasenoa

Castignetti/Vadner
Le Donne/Schilter
Marzario

O'Brien/Piper

A furious comeback attempt by the Engineers in the game's final minutes and a 31-16 advantage in shots weren't enough to overcome a 3-goal second period from Syracuse as RPI fell 4-3 at Houston Field House on Friday.

The Engineers opened the scoring at 13:24 of the opening period when Jill Vandegrift took a pass from Kathryn Schilter, put a shot on Orange netminder Jenesica Drinkwater, and collected her own rebound for the goal.

A 1-0 first intermission lead quickly evaporated as the second period drew on, with Syracuse breaking out with three goals on just six shots. Holly Carrie-Mattimoe opened the scoring for the Orange with a goal on a quick cross-ice pass from Caitlin Roach. Julie Knerr gave Syracuse the lead at 10:46 when she snuck a shot past Kelly O'Brien despite heavy pressure from the RPI defense.

Megan Skelly made it a 3-1 game at 15:47 of the period when she picked up her own rebound and was left alone to skate it around the back of the Engineers' net for a wraparound goal as O'Brien scrambled to get back in position from the initial save.

O'Brien would be relieved by Brianna Piper near the midpoint of the third period when Syracuse extended their lead to 4-1. A slapshot from Kaillie Goodnough found its way through traffic from the point to beat O'Brien, making it a difficult shot to see.

RPI elected to pull Piper early in an attempt to dig out of the 3-goal hole, and the move paid off at 15:51 when Jordan Smelker buried a rebound with the extra attacker on to cut the Orange lead to 4-2.

The Engineers cut the lead to one with 1:13 remaining with a 6-on-4 power play, extra attacker goal by Andie Le Donne. Le Donne pinched in to fire a rocket slapshot on a rebound opportunity past Drinkwater to make it 4-3.

RPI was able to play the game's final minute with the extra attacker but could not come up with the equalizer, and the 4-1 hole early in the third was just a little too much to overcome so late in the game.

Saturday

Mahoney/Harrison/Vandegrift
Smelker/Cox/Horton
Sanders/Guillemette/Svoboda
Letuligasenoa

Castignetti/Vadner
Le Donne/Schilter
Marzario

Piper

A slow start didn't hold the Engineers back on Saturday as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second period and held on to take a 2-1 victory and a split on the weekend.

After a very subdued first period which saw only five shots by each team, the Engineers had spent a lot of time on their heels (and on the penalty kill), although Syracuse could not generate any significant offense despite holding the edge in play early on.

RPI came out of the gate flying in the second period, however, and the Engineers got themselves on the scoreboard just 49 seconds into the middle frame. Breaking in 2-on-1, Eleeza Cox slid a perfect pass cross-ice to Jordan Smelker, who fired a laser past Drinkwater for the 1-0 lead.

Alisa Harrison made the lead 2-0 at 6:15 of the second, after Taylor Mahoney skated in against two defenders and put a shot on net. Jill Vandegrift had a look at the first rebound but couldn't put it home, and Harrison capitalized on another rebound chance as Drinkwater was unable to get the puck covered fast enough.

Syracuse launched their own third period comeback effort in Saturday's game, turning the momentum squarely in their favor in the final period, but RPI would manage to hold to Orange to a single goal by Jordyn Burns, scored from the point through traffic at 13:15 of the third period.

While Syracuse continued to pressure the Engineers after the goal, a penalty on the Orange's Julie Knerr at 15:25 took the wind out of their sails and helped RPI regain some composure and close out the game to earn the split in the weekend series.

The Engineers close out the 2011 portion of their season on the road next weekend at Clarkson (7pm Friday) and St. Lawrence (4pm Saturday), in a pair of ECAC matchups, before a month without a game over the holidays. Live stats and score updates via twitter will be available as usual, while the North Country schools will both have live video available for purchase at game time.

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RPI vs. Syracuse
Non-Conference Game – Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
11/25/11 – 7:00pm
Syracuse 4, RPI 3

BOX SCORES:

RECAPS:

RECORD: 3-10-4 (1-3-2 ECAC)

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RPI vs. Syracuse
Non-Conference Game – Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
11/26/11 – 4:00pm
RPI 2, Syracuse 1

BOX SCORES:

RECAPS:

RECORD: 4-10-4 (1-3-2 ECAC)

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Upcoming Games

Dec. 2 - at Clarkson (7pm)
Dec. 3 - at St. Lawrence (4pm)
Jan. 6 - Colgate (3pm)
Jan. 7 - Cornell (3pm)
Jan. 13 - at Dartmouth (7pm)
Jan. 14 - at Harvard (4pm)

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