Orono, Maine – The
Robert Morris University women's hockey team dropped a heartbreaker in overtime this evening to the University of Maine, 3-2, from the Harold Alfond Sports Arena.
Robert Morris (0-3-0, 0-0-0 CHA) falls to 0-3 for the first time since the 2007-08 season and suffers its first overtime loss since Feb. 15, 2013 at Lindenwood. Maine (2-0-0, 1-0-0 Hockey East) breaks through in its third overtime game against the Colonials, having tied on Nov. 27, 2010 and lost on Oct. 24, 2009.
The game featured a scoreless first period as sophomore goaltender
Jessica Dodds made eight saves in the frame.
RMU jumped in front eight minutes into the second period as freshman forward
Jessica Gazzola tallied the first goal of her career. Following a Black Bears turnover, junior assistant captain
Ashley Vesci found sophomore forward
Mackenzie Johnston, who then completed the tic-tac-toe with a pass to Gazzola at the doorstep.
Maine tied it up with a minute and a half left in the frame as Emilie Brigham capitalized on a two-on-one opportunity.
The Black Bears would take the lead early in the third period as a scramble in front of the net led to a goal from Jennifer More. However, the Colonials would answer less than five minutes later as sophomore
Maeve Garvey redirected a pass from Vesci.
Both teams had their opportunities in the final 10 minutes of regulation, but both Dodds and Maine goaltender Meghann Tracy stood tall.
A RMU turnover just a minute into overtime decided it as Victoria Hummel fired a shot from the point that zigzagged through traffic and found the back of the net.
Dodds stopped 28 of 31 shots in the defeat.
The Colonials have now dropped two straight games when they have scored first. Prior to this stretch, RMU had gone 22-0-1 in its last 23 contests when taking the opening lead.
Senior captain
Rebecca Vint played in her 100th game tonight, becoming the 31st player in program history to reach the century mark.
Robert Morris will look to avoid its first four-game skid since 2010-11 at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow from Orono.
