Freshman Thea Imbrogno (Etobicoke, Ontario / Mississauga Jr. Chiefs) punched home a rebound with just 87 seconds remaining to knot the game and send the Colonial bench into a celebration.

It marked the first time in its past 51 games that the Colonials scored a goal to tie the game that late in a contest--incidentally, the last time Robert Morris found the net with such little time left to equalize a game also occurred against the Purple Eagles when sophomore Kelsey Thomas (Hamilton, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks) lit the lamp Nov. 15, 2009 to level the game at two apiece with just eight ticks remaining.

Imbrogno also played a role in the goal that started the comeback as she assisted on a score by senior assistant captain Sara O'Malley (Guelph, Ontario / Hamilton Hawks).

A night after sophomore Dayna Newsom (Oakville, Ontario / Oakville Ice) reached the 20-point plateau for the first time, Imbrogno's fourth multi-point performance made her the fourth active Colonial to have a 20-point season to her name. With Imbrogno reaching the mark, this is just the second season in RMU history in which four Colonials have registered at least 20 points.

While each team fired a handful shots in the game's opening minutes, neither side was able to procure an early goal. Niagara was able to change that when it received a power play slightly past the midway point of the first. Kaleigh Chippy put the Purple Eagles on top at the 12:47 mark, a lead which Niagara would carry into the first intermission.

The second stanza saw no scoring for either side thanks in large part to a strong effort from RMU freshman netminder Meeri Räisänen (Kangasala, Finland / Espoo Blues Finland) who turned away 15 Niagara shots over the middle period to keep the deficit at a single goal.

RMU came out strong in the third frame and appeared poised to tie the game as it fired nine of the first 10 shot attempts over the opening six minutes of the period. However, Niagara's Jenna Hendrix received a nice pass from Kirsten Richards and slotted the puck home to put the visitors up by two with 11:16 remaining.

With the clock winding down in the third, RMU was faced with a tough assignment, but the Colonials showed impressive resolve and determination to fight back.

The rally began when freshman Anneline Lauziere (St. Thomas, Ontario / London Jr. Devilettes) kept a bouncing puck in the offensive zone along the sideboards and sent it ahead to Imbrogno. Imbrogno then used some effective stickwork to maneuver past a defenseman before centering the puck to O'Malley. The senior ripped a wrist shot that found the twine to pull RMU within one.

Robert Morris still trailed as the clock went under two minutes to play, but the Colonials got a final chance when they earned a power play at the 18:02 mark. Robert Morris Head Coach Nate Handrahan called a timeout to discuss the closing sequence, and the move paid dividends almost immediately.

Junior Brianna Delaney (Stittsville, Ontario / NCCP Raiders) started the game-tying sequence when she sent a cross-ice pass to O'Malley near the blue line. After O'Malley deked a defender, her wrist shot forced Niagara goalie Jenni Bauer to make a save, but Imbrogno pounced on the rebound and sent it home to tie the game, 2-2, with just 1:27 left.

Robert Morris had two more shots in regulation, but neither one got past Bauer, and the teams went to the extra session.

The Colonials held the upper hand in overtime as they outshot the Purple Eagles 6-2, but Robert Morris couldn't come up with a final tally and settled for the tie.

O'Malley's goal made her the first player in RMU history to record three 10-goal seasons and leaves her just two shy of 50 for her career. The multi-point effort was her fifth of the season and the 23rd of her career, and she also moved into a tie for second place on RMU's all-time assist list. Lauziere's assist was her first-career helper while Delaney's team-leading 23rd point extended her all-time RMU record to 45 and moved her into a tie for fifth in single-season school history.

Räisänen made 29 saves for Robert Morris and only allowed three even-strength goals in the series.

Imbrogno, who now has a season-long four-game point streak, tied the team season high with eight shots while senior captain Whitney Pappas (Evergreen, Colo. / Belle Tire) helped the defensive effort with five blocked shots.

RMU outshot Niagara 34-31, including 19-5 over the final 25 minutes. The third frame was the fifth this season in which the Colonials had at least 10 more shots than their opponent. 

Robert Morris will look to carry over its strong finish when it returns to action next weekend as it travels to CHA foe Wayne State for a two-game set, Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12.