With a season high eight goals, the #6/7 Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team defeated visiting Rensselaer 8-3 on Saturday afternoon in Cheel Arena.
Clarkson improves to 10-3-1 overall and 6-0-0 in conference while Rensselaer drops to 4-9-1 overall and 2-4-0 in ECAC Hockey games. Clarkson has now won eight games in a row. The eight goals are the most Clarkson has scored since hanging nine on the Engineers on February 5th, 2016.
Clarkson scored three goals in the first period and never looked back. The first goal was scored at 11:34 when Jessica Gillham collected the puck behind the Rensselaer net and found Cassidy Vinkle in the slot, with Vinkle scoring easily. Less than four minutes later Clarkson doubled its lead on a great individual effort by Brielle Bellerive. Corie Jacobson passed to Bellerive at Clarkson’s blueline and the junior forward then sped through the Rensselaer defense and scored on a quick wrist shot. Finally, Gillham scored at 18:29 when a pass from Rhyen McGill found her in front of the goal.
In the second period, the two teams traded goals. First, Clarkson extended its lead one minute in when Josiane Pozzebon scored from the right circle on a Clarkson power-play. Rensselaer got its first goal at 9:41 when Makenna Thomas scored. Michaela Pejzlova got the next goal for Clarkson at 13:09. Pejzlova received the puck in the left corner and was able to skate into the middle of the ice and score in the crease. Rensselaer scored its second goal just 35 seconds later when Marisa Raspa fed Jaimie Grisgby in the slot.
Clarkson continued to dominate in the third period. Co-captain Savnnah Harmon scored at 11:05 after a nice give-and-go with Loren Gabel. Assistant captain Genevieve Bannon added another goal just 27 seconds later when her shot deflected in off a Rensselaer stick. An Engineers goal at 13:01 somewhat halted Clarkson’s momentum, but the Golden Knights had one more goal left in them. It was Pejzlova who capped the game off when Gabel’s shot rebounded to her in front of the goal and Pejzlova calmly tapped the puck in.
Clarkson finished with a season high 50 shots and allowed Rensselaer to take just 27. Clarkson was 1-3 on the power-play and killed the sole RPI extra man opportunity. Shea Tiley made 24 saves for Clarkson while Lovisa Selander and Kira Bombay combined for 42 stops.
Clarkson will try to keep its winning streak going next weekend when the Green and Gold travel to Brown and Yale.
