Women's Hockey - Robert Morris (16/17 Nov)

In the first of two weekends of non-conference play on either side of Thanksgiving, the Engineers welcomed the Colonials of Robert Morris University to Houston Field House.

After an unlikely upset of Mercyhurst to win the CHA tournament last season, RMU had jumped out to a 5-2-1 record following four exhibition wins (albeit against mostly weaker competition), and they got the better of the Engineers on the weekend, taking a 3-2 Friday victory before skating to a 1-1 tie on Saturday.

Friday

Wash/Gruschow/Horton
Smelker/Cox/Svoboda
Sanders/Mahoney/Mari Mankey
Letuligasenoa/Padmore/Walsh

Le Donne/Schilter
Godin/Marzario
Daniels/Banks

O'Brien

An extra attacker goal late in the third period drew RPI to within one, but it was too little, too late as the Engineers dropped a 3-2 decision to Robert Morris in an early game Friday afternoon.

RMU opened the scoring at 8:31 of the first period, with Maddie Collias picking up the goal by crashing the net while the puck was fired from the near side boards.

The initial RMU lead was short-lived as Taylor Horton evened it up two minutes later, splitting the defense before beating RMU goalie Kristen DiCiocco glove side to make it 1-1.

A parade to the penalty box dictated the pace of the second period, with five penalties on the Colonials and three on the Engineers, but is was only RMU able to score on one of their opportunities. Just seconds past the midpoint of the second, Thea Imbrogno was able to sneak one past Kelly O'Brien with a crowd in front of the crease to make it a 2-1 game.

Cobina Delaney extended RMU's lead to 3-1 with a breakaway goal in the waning minutes of the third period and it looked to have put the game on ice, but Alexa Gruschow picked up her eighth goal of the season at 19:39 when a late power play coupled with the extra attacker had the Engineers skating 6-on-4.

Unfortunately for RPI, 21 seconds was not enough to set up another possession and push for another goal, and the 3-2 score held up for RMU in game one.

Saturday

Wash/Gruschow/Horton
Smelker/Cox/Svoboda
Sanders/Mahoney/Mari Mankey
Letuligasenoa/Padmore/Walsh

Daniels/Marzario
Le Donne/Banks
Jakubowski/Schilter

O'Brien

A dominant first period and strong third period showed a lot of promise for an RPI squad that's had a tough go of it early in the season, but an RPI goal in the game's opening minutes was matched by one for RMU in the game's final minutes resulting in a 1-1 tie on Saturday afternoon.

It was only 1:12 into the game on Saturday when Jordan Smelker forced home a rebound to give the Engineers an important early lead, and the Engineers proceeded to lay on the pressure for the remainder of the first period. While the puck spent most of the period in the RMU zone, it notably did not find its way into the back of the net, and RPI entered the intermission only ahead by one.

The second period was nearly a complete role reversal, with RMU racking up a 10-3 shot advantage and thoroughly dominating the puck possession game, but fortunately for the Engineers, O'Brien held the visitors off the board during the onslaught, including a pair of great saves on a 2-on-1 opportunity for RMU.

The 1-0 RPI lead held through most of the third, with RPI going back to some of the play that benefited them in the opening frame, but as luck would have it, RPI surrendered the tying goal with less than five minutes after O'Brien made a great save on an RMU shot but wasn't able to get to the rebound before Kelsey Thomas put it home.

A late power play opportunity for RPI in the third, as well as one for RMU in overtime went by with out another goal, and the 1-1 score held up. It was a game the Engineers could have won, but at the same time, a tie was an improvement over the one-goal losses that have been piling up for the Engineers.

In other news, the Engineers finally hired a second assistant coach to replace Collette Youlen, who left during the offseason. Melanie Greene, Vermont '10 was behind the bench this weekend and it was nice to see a full complement of staff behind the bench once again.

RPI travels to Syracuse next weekend for a non-conference pair against the Orange before returning to ECAC play with a pair at Quinnipiac and Princeton the following weekend. Game times are 7pm Friday and 4pm Saturday for both series.

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RPI vs. Robert Morris
Non-Conference Game – Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
11/16/12 - 3pm
RMU 3, RPI 2

BOX SCORES:
USCHO: http://www.uscho.com/box/womens-hockey/2012/11/16/robert-morris-vs-rensselaer/
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1213/boxes/wrenrmu1.n16

RECAPS:
RPI: http://www.rpiathletics.com/news/2012/11/16/WICE_1116124126.aspx
RMU: http://www.rmucolonials.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205745650
Video Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB909LY4PvY

RECORD: 2-8-1 (0-4-0 ECAC)

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RPI vs. Robert Morris
Non-Conference Game – Houston Field House (Troy, NY)
11/17/12 - 3pm
RPI 1, RMU 1 (OT)

BOX SCORES:
USCHO: http://www.uscho.com/box/womens-hockey/2012/11/17/robert-morris-vs-rensselaer/
College Hockey Stats: http://collegehockeystats.net/1213/boxes/wrenrmu1.n17

RECAPS:
RPI: http://www.rpiathletics.com/news/2012/11/17/WICE_1117122333.aspx
RMU: http://www.rmucolonials.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205747623
Video Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPf1mxn5WWc
Complete Game Video: http://rpitv.org/productions/512-womens-hockey-vs-robert-morris-game-2

RECORD: 2-8-2 (0-4-0 ECAC)

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ECAC Standings

1t. Cornell - 12 points (6-0-0)
1t. Clarkson - 12 points (6-0-0)
3. St. Lawrence - 10 points (5-1-0)
4. Quinnipiac - 9 points (4-3-1)
5. Harvard - 8 points (4-0-0)
6. Dartmouth - 6 points (3-1-0)
7. Princeton - 4 points (1-5-2)
8t. Union - 2 points (0-2-2)
8t. Brown - 2 points (1-5-0)
8t. Yale - 2 points (0-5-1)
11. Colgate - 1 point (0-5-1)
12. RPI - 0 points (0-4-0)

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Upcoming Games

Nov. 23 - at Syracuse (7pm)
Nov. 24 - at Syracuse (4pm)
Nov. 30 - at Quinnipiac (7pm)
Dec. 1 - at Princeton (4pm)