Pittsburgh, Pa. ? Behind three-point performances from juniors Alissa Dorman (Madison, Wisc. / Madison Capitals) and Kathryn Traynor (Toronto, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Aeroes), the Robert Morris University women's ice hockey team unleashed their second-highest scoring output of the season in a 7-4 victory over Minnesota State Sunday afternoon at the RMU Island Sports Center. With the win, the Colonials (10-9-1) split the two-game series and earn their second win over a WCHA opponent this season.

Despite only registering 14 shots for the game, the Colonials made their few shots quality ones, finishing the game with a .500 mark in the scoring column. Dorman and Traynor both finished the game with two goals on two shots while picking up an assist each.

Unlike the previous day's game, the Colonials let loose early on. Dorman gave the home team a 1-0 advantage after causing a turnover at the blue-line and taking it back in for the top-shelf score just 4:27 into the period.  Junior Morgan Beikirch (Livonia, N.Y. / Buffalo Bison) stretched the lead to 2-0, receiving a pass along the boards and squeezing it in between the goalie and the left pipe at 15:04.

Minnesota State found their offensive groove in the beginning of the second frame, scoring back-to-back goals. Kala Buganski added her third goal in just two games to get the Mavericks on the board at 2:56 followed by a power-play tally from Lisa Edman at 6:34.

Less than three minutes later, Dorman struck again with her second of the game, tacking in a pass from teammates Maria Olausson (Copenhagen, Denmark / Danish National Team) and Chelsea Walkland (Pittsford, N.Y. / Rochester Edge) at 6:34.

The Colonials moved out to a 4-2 lead when Traynor added her first goal of the game on a power-play at 16:55, but had the lead quickly reduced to one when MSU's Kristina Bunker converted on the extra-man advantage at 18:02.

The Mavericks looked to add more as the period was coming to close, but thanks to a great save by Brianne McLaughlin (Sheffield Village, Oh. / Ohio Flames) in the final seconds, both teams were forced to take a face-off in the Colonials' zone. Off of the draw, freshman Sara O'Malley (Guelph, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks) took the puck the length of the ice for a one-on-one unassisted score at 19:44, giving Robert Morris a 5-3 lead going into the third period.

Freshman Whitney Pappas (Evergreen, Co. / Belle Tire) gave RMU a three goal cushion in the opening minutes of the third period. Pappas tallied her first collegiate goal by sending a shot from the blue-line into the upper-left corner of the goal at 1:22.

MSU's Lindsay Macy got the Mavericks within two once again, scoring on a power-play opportunity with the goalie pulled at 16:49, but it would prove to be not enough as Traynor sealed the victory with her second goal of the game on an empty net at 18:35.

McLaughlin played her second consecutive game in net for Robert Morris, making 28 saves while allowing one even strength goal. The Mavericks' Britni Kehler suffered her eleventh loss of the season, stopping seven shots while allowing seven goals.

Minnesota State outshot the Colonials, 33-14, while converting three-of-four power-play chances. RMU was one-of-two on the extra-man advantage.

The Colonials head to the road this week as the team travels north to play Quinnipiac in a two-game series at the TD Banknorth Sports Center on Thursday, Jan. 3, at 7:00 p.m., and again on Friday, Jan. 4, at 3:00 p.m.