Box Score Niagara University, N.Y. - The Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team defeated Niagara University 4-0 today en route to their first College Hockey America victory of the season.
Sophomore Brianne McLaughlin (Sheffield Village, Oh. / Ohio Flames) shutout the Purple Eagles offense on the afternoon, making 39 saves and picking up her second shutout of the season and third career against Niagara.
Sophomores Morgan Beikirch (Livonia, New York / Syracuse Stars), Ali Proodian (Canton, Michigan / Honeybaked U-19) and Kathryn Traynor (Toronto, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Aeros) combined for six points in the game. Beikirch and Traynor each had a goal and an assist, while Proodian tallied two helpers.
With her second goal in as many days, Beikirch gave the Colonials (8-13-2, 1-3-0 CHA) the 1-0 lead and the eventual game-winner with 3:01 left in the first frame. The power-play strike came off a rebound in front of cage, with help credited to Proodian and Traynor.
Robert Morris remained quiet on offense for almost 20 minutes before the same trio who accounted for the first score would connect again. Kathryn Traynor picked up her first goal of the season. Traynor, assisted by Beikirch and Proodian, blasted back a rebound off of goalie Allison Rutledge, stretching the Colonial lead to 2-0 with 2:54 left in the second stanza.
Despite a doughnut on the scoreboard, Niagara held the advantage in shots going into the third period, outshooting the Colonials 28-20. Niagara would outshoot the Colonials for the game 39-27.
Midway through the third period, Sophomore Kristen Miles (London, Ontario / London Devillettes) showed the Purple Eagles that she could play both sides of the puck, picking off an arrant pass in the neutral zone and taking it the rest of the way for her 12th goal of the season.
As time wound down in the game, Niagara yanked Rutledge from net with less than three minutes to play. With the extra-attacker on the ice, Robert Morris put the pressure on the Purple Eagles, forcing them to turnover the puck. Sophomore defenseman Samantha Ullrich (St.Louis, Missouri / Team Illinois U-19) put Niagara's hopes on ice as she took the biscuit into the offensive zone for the empty-net goal with 54 seconds on the clock.
Robert Morris, with the win today, extended their record to 3-2-1 over the Purple Eagles in their two-years of conference play.
The next game for the Colonials wont be until January 21, when they travel to Boston for a single-game against Northeastern, game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
