Box Score Pittsburgh, Pa. - The Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team fell 3-2 in overtime to CHA opponent Wayne State Saturday night at the RMU Island Sports Center.
Wayne State swept the Colonials for the third time in the past two years, holding a 6-0 advantage on the all-time series.
In what played out to be a thriller down to the wire, the Colonials (9-15-2, 1-5-0 CHA) came up just short after battling back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game up with 41 seconds remaining in regulation.
Freshman Jessica Riley (Hamilton, Ont. / Stoney Creek Sabres) tallied her third goal in as many games off a scrum in front of the net to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead 13:46 into the first period.
From there on, both teams played a hard-fought physical game, unleashing 22 combined shots on goal in the first period alone. Wayne State held the advantage 12-10, out-shooting the Colonials 38-20 for the game.
Robert Morris's defense played a key role in the game keeping Wayne State off the scoreboard. The Colonials held the Warriors to only one goal through two periods of hockey.
It wasn't until the third period when the pressure got turned up a notch. Wayne State went to their bread and butter in the power-play, scoring their only extra-man goal in the game and taking their first lead of the night with 6:50 left to play in the game.
WSU went 1-4 on the extra-man opportunity for the game, compared to 3-5 in the previous day's contest. The Colonials were 0-3 on the power-play.
RMU attacked the net diligently for five minutes without any success. On a final attempt to draw even, the Colonials pulled McLaughlin from net for the extra-attacker with a minute remaining. With six skaters on the ice, Sophomore Kristen Miles (London, Ont. / London Devillettes) found the space she needed to rip a sharp angled shot past the left shoulder of Wayne State net-minder Valery Turcotte for the equalizer, leaving 41 seconds on the clock.
Sophomore Morgan Beikirch (Livonia, N.Y. / Syracuse Stars) fed Miles the pass to pick up an assist on the play and extending her point-streak to seven games.
Both teams ended regulation in a dead-lock, taking the game to overtime. From that point, the Warriors took all the air out of a pumped up RMU Island Sports Center. Wayne State kicked the puck out down ice as they won the face-off to a streaking Sam Poyton, who fired the quick one-time shot into the back of the net with only eight seconds elapsing in the frame.
Sophomore Brianne McLaughlin (Sheffield Village, Oh. / Ohio Flames) made several stunning saves in the loss finishing the night with 35 for the Colonials.
Robert Morris heads back to the road this weekend, traveling up north to Connecticut for a two-game series against Sacred Heart on February 3 / 4. Earlier this month Robert Morris swept the Pioneers in a two-game series at home. Game-times are scheduled for a 7:35 p.m. and a 2:05 p.m. start.
