Box Score Boston, Mass. - The Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team took it down to the wire as they defeated Northeastern University 3-2 in overtime today at the Matthews Arena in Boston, Massachusetts. Freshman Jessica Riley (Hamilton, Ontario / Stoney Creek Sabres) scored her second goal of the game with 6.2 seconds remaining in extra-time to give the Colonials their ninth win of the season.
With the win today, Robert Morris has won four out of its last five games in the month of January, improving their record to 9-13-2 overall.
Even though the Huskies held a 34-11 advantage in shots for the game, the Colonials made their few chances quality ones.
Junior Maria Olausson (Copenhagen, Denmark / Danish National Team) gave the Colonials a 1-0 lead 3:20 into the game. Olausson, who came streaking out of the RMU zone, took a quick pass from Sophomore Morgan Beikirch (Livonia, N.Y. / Syracuse Stars) and sent it top-shelf past Huskies goaltender Sarah Belliveau for her third goal of the year.
With constant pressure on the Colonial defense, the Huskies would finally get their offense to connect early in the second period.
Liz Chapman got NU on the board 3:59 into the stanza by taking the puck from behind the cage and backhanding it past RMU's netminder Heather Rossi (Kunkletown, Pa. / Wisconsin Wild), locking the score at 1-1.
After trading goals in the first and second period, Robert Morris took back the lead 4:42 into the third. Jessica Riley picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and proceeded one-on-one with the goaltender scoring her first goal of the season unassisted.
The lead was short-lived though as the Huskies answered back less than two minutes later. Defenseman Erin Reil picked off a pass at the red line and went untouched for a breakaway goal, locking the game up at 2-2. The two teams would battle it out for the rest of the period, with no winner being declared at the end of regulation.
After 60 minutes of hockey, both teams went to a five minute nail-biter in overtime. Northeastern continued their onslaught of shots in the final frame, holding the advantage 4-1. Unfortunately for the Huskies though, the Colonials one shot proved to be the difference maker. Jessica Riley capped off the game, taking a pass from sister Jordan Riley (Hamilton, Ontario / Stoney Creek Sabres) and burying it in the net before the clock hit zero for her second of the afternoon and the victory.
In goal for the Colonials, Rossi made 32 saves in the game en route to her third victory of the season.
With the assist on the Maria Olausson goal in the first period, Morgan Beikirch extended her point streak to five games in the New Year.
Robert Morris returns to conference play this weekend at the RMU Island Sports Center as they host Detroit native Wayne State in a two-game series on January 26 / 27. Game times are scheduled for 7:35 p.m. both Friday and Saturday night.
