Minneapolis, Minn. ? Oct. 3, 2008 ? The Robert Morris University women's ice hockey, led by third-year head coach Nate Handrahan, started the season out with a bang, as it downed No. 3 Minnesota, 3-2. The Colonials gave the Gophers their first season opener loss since the program's start in 1997.

The Colonials grabbed the early advantage in the first period with senior forward Morgan Beikirch (Livonia, N.Y. / Syracuse Stars) scoring the first goal of the game at 8:02 on a power-play with Megan Picinic (Cliffside, N.J. / Princeton Tigerlillies) contributing the assist.

Nearly nine minutes later freshman Brianna Delaney (Stittsville, Ontario / NCCP Raiders) beat Gopher goalie Kim Hanlon with an unassisted goal at 17:46 for her first collegiate score to put the Colonials up 2-0 heading into the second.

The Gophers continued to fire shot after shot at the Robert Morris net, but senior goalie Brianne McLaughlin (Sheffield Village, Oh. / Ohio Flames) held her own and fended off 18 shots in period one alone.  

The Colonials did not let their 2-0 lead deter them from adding goals to their collection. Five minutes into second period action junior Jackie Gibson (Burlington, Ontario / Burlington Barracudas) found the back of the net and represented the defensemen with Robert Morris's second power-play goal of the game, increasing Robert Morris's lead to three. Sophomore Kylie Rossler (Regina Saskatchewan / Regina Rebels) contributed the assist.

Minnesota attempted to make headway with a score by Anne Schleper exactly one minute after Gibson's goal and decreased Robert Morris's lead from three to two.

The rest of the second period was relatively quiet with neither team able to connect with the net. Late in the third, the Gophers made one last effort to get back into the game leaving an empty net on the ice to take on the colonials with an extra man.

Minnesota's plan enabled them to earn one more goal late in the third by Emily West, but it was not enough and the Colonials left the Ridder Arena with the impressive 3-2 victory.

McLaughlin was the stand-out of the game, as she earned a career high of 63 saves in her first win of the season. Minnesota outshot Robert Morris 65-10, but with McLaughlin's .969 save average only two of those shots were able to slip past the senior goalie.

Minnesota's Kim Hanlon earned four saves and Jenny Lura posted three.

McLaughlin, Beikirch and Delaney each earned stars in the victory. The Colonials head back to the Ridder Arena tomorrow to face the Gophers for a second time at 7:07 p.m. local time.