Robert Morris (3-6-1) vs. Maine (1-8-1)

Friday / Saturday, November 9 / 10, 2007 -  2:00 p.m.

Alfond Arena – Orono, Maine

Top Story - The Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team heads to the road this weekend as they take on the University of Maine in a two-game series at the Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine. This is the first meeting between Colonials and Black Bears since the start of the 2005 season.

The Colonials are coming off their first series sweep of the season, defeating the Sacred Heart Pioneers, 8-2 and 8-0, at the RMU Island Sports Center. Led by freshman Kylie Rossler and Sara O'Malley, the Colonials scored a record high 16-goals against Sacred Heart, marking the most goals scored against one opponent in a two-game series. O'Malley became the first Colonial freshman to tally a hat-trick, scoring three goals in game one while Rossler led the attack over the weekend with four goals and one assist. Goaltenders Daneca Butterfield and Brianne McLaughlin notched individual wins with McLaughlin picking up her sixth career shut-out and first of the season.

Series Statistics - The Colonials are a lifetime 0-2-0 against the Black Bears, facing them for the first time in their varsity debut during the 2005-06 season. Robert Morris dropped both games by scores of 3-1 and 4-1. Juniors Kristen Miles and Morgan Beikirch led the Colonials in offense with Miles picking up the Colonials first ever goal as a team in game one and Beikirch getting the score in game two.

Dynamic Duo - For the first time this season two players from the Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team earned weekly honors from College Hockey America as freshman forward Kylie Rossler was named Offensive Player of the Week while freshman forward Sara O'Malley earned Rookie of the Week Tuesday.

Rossler led the Colonials last weekend against Sacred Heart with four goals and one assist. In game one of the series, Rossler wasted no time getting the Colonials on the board, scoring just seven seconds into the contest as Robert Morris went on to an 8-2 victory. She finished with two goals in game one, then followed that performance with a two-goal, one assist effort in an 8-0 win in game two of the series.

O'Malley earned Rookie of the Week honors as she led all scorers in game one, tallying the first ever hat-trick by a Colonial freshman. Game two showed off the rookie's defensive skills as she stripped the puck from a Sacred Heart defenseman and took it in for her only goal on an unassisted short-handed play.

On the Internet - All Robert Morris men's and women's hockey home games can be heard live on the internet by visiting www.sports.yahoo.com. Gero Von Dehn returns for his fourth season of play-by-play while Bob Kennedy will provide color commentary.

Head Coach Nate Handrahan (2nd Season; Niagara '00) - Head coach Nate Handrahan enters his second season as leader of the Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team. Taking control of the helm in 2006-07, Handrahan devised a complete turnaround of the program from its inaugural season in 2005-06. The new Colonials took the community by storm, as the team reinvented many aspects of its game as proved evidenced by their overall record, statistics and their players.

Handrahan's guidance and leadership took the team to new heights in its second season of intercollegiate play. The squad more than doubled its 2005-06 record by finishing the season with an 11-22-2 mark, compared to the first season's 5-24-2 record. The revived offense under Handrahan exploded on the ice, scoring a combined 205 points, an improvement by more than 116 points. The defense proved strong in shutting down opponents, allowing 116 goals compared to the previous year's 131.

The former Niagara stand out's tutelage of his players was the most evident as the team grew as a whole throughout the season. Several players came to achieve at exceptional levels including the emergence of goaltender Brianne McLaughlin, who developed into one of the premier net-minders in NCAA Division I women's ice hockey.

Before taking over the women's ice hockey program, Handrahan, under head coach Derek Schooley, served as an assistant coach with the RMU men's ice hockey team. In his duties, he assisted in the day-to-day operations of the team as well instructing on and off the ice. In his two years with the team, Handrahan helped the program to an 8-21-4 mark in its inaugural season and a 12-20-3 record in its second season.

A 2000 graduate of Niagara University, Handrahan returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach in 2001 under Dave Burkholder. Handrahan's duties included off-ice training, scouting, game film review, and coaching the team's defensemen. Niagara earned an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2004 after winning the College Hockey America Tournament, marking Handrahan's second trip to the NCAA postseason.

During his collegiate career, Handrahan played in every game for the Niagara Purple Eagles over four years, leading them to a No. 6 seed in the 2000 NCAA Tournament. The former defenseman, who played under current UMass-Lowell head coach Blaise MacDonald, was a two-time All-ECAC West selection and holds the Niagara record for most consecutive games played (129). Handrahan earned the team's "PAW" award in 1997-98 and the "Unsung Hero Award" in the Purple Eagles playoff season of 1999-2000. He finished his career with 13 goals and 66 assists for 79 points.

Following the 1999-2000 season, Handrahan was signed by the Roanoke Express of the East Coast Hockey League, where he played the remainder of the 2000 season and the 2000-2001 season.

Handrahan and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters, Haylee and Mara and are expecting a third in February. He and his family reside in Aliquippa, Pa.

Road Trip - Robert Morris kicks off the start of their six game road trip this weekend as they head north to take on Maine in a two game series followed up with a trip out west for a mid-month match-up against Bemidji State and wrapping up the month of November with single games against Brown and Providence in Rhode Island.

McLaughlin by the Numbers - As the 2007-08 women's ice hockey season progresses, so does the stats for the Colonials' Brianne McLaughlin. The junior goaltender ranks among some of the best in Division I women's ice hockey. McLaughlin's .931 save percentage is tenth in the country  behind notables Kim Martin of Minnesota-Duluth (.951) and Shivon Zillis of Yale (.970). In the category of overall goaltending leaders, McLaughlin sits in the 22nd spot with 299 saves made and a 2.48 goals against average. Rookie Kaley Herman of New Hampshire owns the #1-ranking with a perfect 6-0-0 record and a 0.83 goals against average.

Protect This House! - The Colonials have been near perfect this season on the penalty kill at home. The Robert Morris penalty kill has squashed 37 of the last 39 opposing team power-plays this season at home. Including road totals, the Colonials have killed off 48 of 50 power-plays to rank their penalty kill tenth in the country.

Light The Lamp - In their series sweep of Sacred Heart last weekend, Robert Morris lit the lamp a combined 16 times , marking their highest goal total against a single opponent in a two-game series.

Against the Hockey East - Squaring off with their first opponent from the Hockey East conference this season, the Colonials look to continue their success against their neighbors from the north. RMU is a lifetime 3-7-1 against the Hockey East, owning two victories against Vermont and one against Northeastern.

College Reunion - Returning to her alma mater of Maine for the first as a member of Robert Morris' coaching staff is assistant coach Raffi Wolf. The two-time German Olympian was a member of the Black Bear's women's ice hockey team from 1999 to 2003. Wolf became a re-known player for Maine, earning multiple ECAC Player of the Week awards and a spot on the Hockey East All-Star team at defense in 2003

Multi-Sports Athletes- The Robert Morris women's ice hockey team knows how to make the most of their free-time away from the ice...on the other Colonial playing fields.  Juniors Megan Picinic and Morgan Beikirch all are dual-sport athletes at Robert Morris University.

Picinic, when she's not playing forward for head coach Nate Handrahan, is out on the diamond playing for coach Coleman and the softball team while Beikirch likes to get a good round of 18 in as she plays for par and coach Stone with the women's golf squad.

State Championship or Bust - Head coach Nate Handrahan has a couple players that know something about lengthy winning streaks. Freshmen Dy-anna Stewart and Maria Stoa helped engineer a 57-game winning streak as members of Eden Prairie's women's ice hockey team en route to a 2006 Minnesota State Championship.

Mile High to Motor City- Before coming to Robert Morris to play hockey, freshman Whitney Pappas relocated once before to play the game. Moving from the untraditional hockey area of Colorado, Pappas took her game to the booming area of Detroit, Michigan, where she played her senior season  with Belle Tire in pursuit of Division I opportunities.

Two is Always Better- The Riley sisters are the first set of twins to play a sport for the Colonials since the Aloi sisters, Natalie and Nicole, played softball and graduated from Robert Morris in 2001.