Box Score Ithaca N.Y. - The Robert Morris University women's hockey team put up a strong showing with a late rally against No. 1 / 2 Cornell, but was unable to find the equalizer as the Colonials fell, 3-2, to the top-ranked Big Red Friday evening at Lynah Rink.
Despite the defeat, senior forward Sara O'Malley (Guelph, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks) had a strong offensive performance for RMU and closed in on multiple school records in the process. After notching both Colonial goals Friday, O'Malley is now just one point shy and one goal shy of tying the school record in each category. O'Malley has 74 career points and 42 career goals and will look to equal and surpass Kristen Miles' marks of 75 and 43, respectively.
Sophomore Dayna Newsom (Oakville, Ontario / Oakville Ice) continued her hot play of late as she assisted on both of O'Malley's tallies to record at least a point in her third consecutive game. Newsom, who is now tied for the team lead in points (8) and tops the squad in assists (6), has six points overall in her last three games and has recorded a multiple-point effort in three of the four series-opening games this season.
O'Malley's pair of scores also gives her a three-game point streak and puts her atop the team in goals.
Cornell got off to a fast start as the Big Red put home two goals within the first five minutes of action courtesy of Catherine White and Hayley Hughes.
The Colonials were unable to get much going offensively in the first 20 minutes, but that changed early in on the second frame as O'Malley pulled RMU within one at the 5:50 mark. However, Cornell did not wait long to respond as Amanda Young scored with a helper from White to give the Big Red a two-goal lead once again with 9:37 remaining in the second.
Trailing by two heading into the final period, the Colonials came out strong as they outshot the top-ranked Big Red in the third. Their efforts finally paid off with 23 seconds remaining in regulation as O'Malley recorded her second score of the evening just seven seconds after the conclusion of an RMU power play as freshman Thea Imbrogno (Etobicoke, Ontario / Mississauga Jr. Chiefs) registered a helper along with Newsom.
Robert Morris pulled goaltender Kristen DiCiocco (Niagara Falls, Ontario / Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres) in the closing seconds in an attempt to grab the tying goal, but the Colonials ran out of time and dropped their 2010-11 road opener. DiCiocco made 25 saves against one of the top teams in the country and allowed only one goal in the last 55 minutes of play.
After finishing strong Friday, Robert Morris will have another crack at the Big Red in fewer than 24 hours as the teams meet again Saturday afternoon. The puck drop is set for 2:00 p.m.
