PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Robert Morris University women’s hockey team scored three goals in the first period, on its way to a 6-3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in game one of a two-game series on Friday night. With the win, the Colonials improve to 3-0, while the Engineers drop to 1-4.
Jaycee Gebhart netted the game’s first two goals at 1:12 and 7:23 of the first period for an early 2-0 lead. Jessica Gazzola added a power play goal for a 3-0 advantage at 18:27 of the period.
Rensselaer pulled one back at 6:04 of the second, when senior Hannah Behounek netted her second goal of the season on the man advantage. Freshman Sabrina Repaci and sophomore Josefine Hansen had the assists.
Freshman Megan Hayes then made it a 3-2 game with her first collegiate tally at 10:14 of the second. Classmates Blake Orosz and Sam Nolan earned the helpers.
The Colonials answered less than two minutes later, when Amanda Pantaleo scored her first of the season from Natalie Marcuzzi and Sarah Quaranta.
Amber Rennie made it a 5-3 lead early in the third, before Rensselaer sophomore Makenna Thomas buried her second of the campaign at 7:44. Junior Whitney Renn and sophomore Taylor Schwalbe were credited with the assists.
Maeve Garvey capped the scoring with an empty-netter at 19:07.
Sophomore goaltender Kira Bombay made 26 saves for the Engineers in her first start of the season. Lauren Bailey had 27 stops at the other end of the ice. RPI finished 1 for 5 on the power play, while Robert Morris was 2 for 8.
The same two teams go head-to-head tomorrow afternoon in the series finale (3:05pm).
