Box Score

State College, Pa. – For the second-straight week, the Robert Morris University (8-2-0 overall, 2-0-0 CHA) women's hockey team swept their opponent. The Colonials defeated Penn State (2-7-1 overall, 0-2-0 CHA) this evening, 6-0, to win their fifth-straight game.

This marks the first time since Nov. 3-4 and Nov. 10-11 that RMU has swept two opponents in a row. Naturally, those wins also came against Vermont and Penn State. Also, this is the first time that the Colonials have swept an opponent with both victories being shutouts.

RMU picked up where they left off last night with the opening goal coming 5:53 into the game. Senior defenseman Anneline Lauziere (St. Thomas, Ontario / London Jr. Devilettes) gathered a pass from freshman forward Brittany Howard (St. Thomas, Ontario / Burlington Jr. Barracudas) and fired a shot from the blue line. Senior captain Kristen Richards (Toronto, Ontario / Niagara University) skated in front of the net and redirected the shot for her second goal of the season.

The Colonials extended their lead to 2-0 less than five minutes later. Junior forward Katie Fergus (Oakville, Ontario / Burlington Jr. Barracudas) took a pass from Lauziere and would then give it to sophomore forward Anissa Gamble (Fredericton, New Brunswick / Burlington Jr. Barracudas) in front of the crease. Gamble would push it past Nittany Lion goaltender Celine Whitlinger for her third goal of the season.

In the second period, RMU took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play to make it 3-0. With Laura Bowman and Emily Laurenzi in the penalty box for respective roughing and checking calls, senior assistant captain Thea Imbrogno (Etobicoke, Ontario / Mississauga Jr. Chiefs) corralled a pass from Howard and lifted a shot on the right side of the crease. Whitlinger looked like she saved it, but a video review showed that the puck crossed the line while in the Penn State netminder's glove.

Five and a half minutes later, the Colonials would continue to show their offensive prowess. Imbrogno gathered the puck and found junior Rebecca Vint (Caldeon, Ontario / Brampton Junior Thunder) skating down the left side of the ice. Vint dragged the puck from left to right and poked it through Whitlinger's five-hole for her fifth goal of the season.

Sophomore forward Ashley Vesci (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Lawrence Academy [Mass.]) would join the scoring party in the third period with her second goal of the season. Senior defenseman Kylie St. Louis (Windsor, Ontario / Southwest Wildcats) and Lauziere were credited with the assists.

With 1:35 remaining in the game, RMU set the final at 6-0. Howard picked up the puck off a turnover and skated down the right side of the ice. Richards skated down the left side, and the freshman found the senior for her second goal of the game.

Freshman goaltender Jessica Dodds (London, Ontario / London Jr. Devilettes) made 22 saves on the evening and improves her record to 6-0-0.

With her second period goal, Rebecca Vint now has 10 goals in six games against Penn State. Last season, Vint scored a program record five goals in the Colonials' CHA opener at State College.

Brittany Howard continued the hot start to her career with three more assists. The first-year forward now has 13 on the season, and 17 points overall – both of those marks not only leading the CHA, but the nation as well.

Thea Imbrogno and Vint moved up the RMU record books this weekend. The senior assistant captain moved into a tie for second in career points with her 96^th and 97^th this evening and is also by herself in third place for career goals with her 44^th. Right behind her in the goal department is Vint, who now has 43 goals in her career.

The Colonials will return to 84 Lumber Arena for their first CHA home series next weekend. RMU faces in-state rival Mercyhurst at 3:05 p.m. on Friday.