Robert Morris Colonials (4-2-0) vs. Vermont Catamounts (2-2-1)
Friday, Oct. 25 / 84 Lumber Arena - Pittsburgh, Pa. / 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26 / 84 Lumber Arena - Pittsburgh, Pa. / 2:05 p.m.

Top Story - Fresh off a series split with then-No. 7/8 Boston University, the Colonials will look to win their last home series of the month as they take on Vermont. RMU fell to the Terriers in Friday's contest despite outshooting them 36-28 and winning 31 of 53 faceoffs. Boston jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but goals from seniorsThea Imbrogno and Anneline Lauziere brought the Colonials back even with the nationally-ranked Terriers. Boston would find the back of the net three more times to set the final at 5-2, but RMU would get their revenge in Saturday's contest. Freshman goaltender Jessica Dodds earned her second shutout in as many starts and goals from sophomore Ashley Vesci, freshman Maeve Garvey, and senior Kylie St. Louis help give the Colonials a 3-0 victory. Dodds made 21 saves on the afternoon and Vesci's goal in the first period was the first of her career.

Series vs. Vermont - RMU is 4-1-0 against Vermont all-time. The Colonials swept the Catamounts in a two-game road set last season by the scores of 6-2 and 3-2. Now-senior captain Kristen Richards tallied four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in the two games to lead the team. RMU also defeated Vermont on Nov. 18, 2006 behind a 21 save shutout from Brianne McLaughin. The Colonials split a two-game series with the Catamounts in the 2005-06 season.

Scouting Vermont - Vermont comes into this weekend's series with a record of 2-2-1. The Catamounts have compiled a record of 1-2-1 against two of RMU's College Hockey America (CHA) opponents this season (Penn State, RIT) and also beat RPI last weekend. In the Catamounts' 3-1 victory over the Engineers, freshman goaltender Madison Litchfield was named Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week after making 29 saves in the contest. Junior forward Amanda Pelkey is currently second in Hockey East in scoring with an average of 1.60 points per game (3 goals, 5 assists).

Last Time Out - The Colonials picked up a split with No. 7/8 Boston University this past weekend and notched their first win against a nationally-ranked foe since Feb. 8, 2013 when RMU defeated rival No. 7 Mercyhurst, 4-2.

Despite outshooting the Terriers, RMU started off on the wrong foot in the series as they dropped the opener, 5-2. Boston would take an early 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Sarah Steele and Louise Warren, but RMU would fight back in the second period and tie it with two goals of their own. Senior forward Thea Imbrogno batted in a rebound from junior forward Rebecca Vint to bring the Colonials within one, then senior defenseman Anneline Lauziere threw a knuckle-puck at the net and it trickled through to tie the game.

Boston would fire back with three unanswered goals to set the final score. However, in addition to outshooting the Terriers, RMU would also hold an advantage in faceoffs as they won 31 of 53 of them.

The Colonials would bounce back on Saturday and take the second game of the series, 3-0. Freshman goaltender Jessica Dodds would get the start between the pipes and was fantastic once again, stopping 21 shots en route to her second-straight shutout - the first a RMU goaltender has accomplished the feat.

At the 10:08 mark of the first period, sophomore forward Ashley Vesci would break through for the first goal of the game and the first of her career. Vesci gathered a pass from junior foward Katie Fergus and the local Pittsburgh product would beat Boston goaltender Victoria Hanson.

Freshman forward Maeve Garvey then lit the lamp on a power play to make it 2-0. Fellow freshman Brittany Howard put the inital shot on net and the rebound trickled right to Garvey. Garvey would then bat in the second chance for her second goal of the season.

Senior defenseman Kylie St. Louis picked up her second goal of the season with 42 seconds left in the contest, as she found the back of an empty net to set the final tally.
 
Fantastic Freshman - After winning CHA co-Goaltender of the Week last week, freshman netminder Jessica Dodds took home CHA Rookie of the Week for her efforts against No. 7/8 Boston University.

Dodds made her third start of the season in Saturday's contest and blanked the nationally-ranked Terrier offensive attack, as she made 21 saves en route to a 3-0 victory. In the second period, the freshman stonewalled a breakaway opportunity, helping preserve her shutout.

Dodds became the second Colonial to win CHA Rookie of the Week, as forward Brittany Howard took home the honors last week. The netminder currently leads the CHA with a goals against average of 0.65 and a save percentage of .970.

Dodds also became the first RMU goaltender to win CHA Rookie of the Week since now-Olympic netminder Brianne McLaughlin won it on March 7, 2006.

With the shutout victory, Dodds became the first opposing goaltender to blank Boston at home since it happened Dec. 9, 2010 against Minnesota-Duluth.

Dodds has registered back-to-back shutouts, becoming the first Colonial netminder to do that in program history. The freshman currently holds a shutout streak of 124:04.

Looking Back - The Colonials have played three times on the 25th and 26th of October in its program's history.

On Oct. 25, 2008, RMU were defeated by the No. 9 St. Lawrence Saints, 5-0. Brianne McLaughin registered 35 saves and back-up goaltender Daneca Butterfield gloved 10 shot attempts while she was in the game.

On Oct. 26, 2007, the Colonials fell to St. Cloud State at home, 3-1. RMU would get on the board first thanks to a goal from Sara O'Malley - her first of her career - but couldn't produce much offense after that. McLaughlin stopped 26 shots on the contest.

Last season, on Oct. 26, 2012, the Colonials skated to a 3-3 tie with No. 7 Northeastern. Kelsey Thomas tallied a hat trick on the contest, scoring goals in each of the regulation periods. Kristen DiCiocco made 36 saves in the game.

Schedule Notes - RMU travels to Penn State next week for their first CHA contests of 2013-14, as they play a two-game set with the Nittany Lions at their brand new home, Pegula Ice Arena. The two contests will be held on Thursday and Friday, rather than Friday and Saturday.

The Colonials return home the following weekend for two more conference series. The first of those will be against rival Mercyhurst, who RMU was 3-2 against last season. The Colonials will then take on Lindenwood in a rematch of a CHA Quarterfinal pairing that two games decided by a total of three goals, and a triple-overtime victory in Game 1.

RMU continues CHA play on the road with a series against Syracuse. The Colonials will then end the month of November with non-conference games at Ohio State and at home against Maine.