Robert Morris Colonials (4-10-3, 1-3-2 CHA) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-6-3, 2-3-1 CHA)
Friday, December 5, 2014 / 84 Lumber Arena – Pittsburgh, Pa. / 3:05 p.m.
Saturday, December 6, 2014 / 84 Lumber Arena – Pittsburgh, Pa. / 3:05 p.m.

Top Story – After a 5-1 loss to Ohio State on Black Friday in front of a school record crowd of 826, Robert Morris looks to rebound this weekend as it returns to College Hockey America (CHA) play to take on Penn State. This is the Colonials' last series of the fall semester, as they will go on a four-week break for the holidays before returning to action on Jan. 3, 2015 to take on the University of Windsor in an exhibition contest. RMU currently sits fifth in the CHA standings, but could leap into the top four by taking three of four points from the Nittany Lions.


 
Series History – Robert Morris has dominated Penn State since the Nittany Lions moved up to NCAA Division I in 2012-13, winning all eight of the teams' meetings by an aggregate score of 38-7. The Colonials also defeated PSU in a 2011 exhibition contest, 12-0. RMU blanked the Nittany Lions last season in three out of four games - twice at Pegula Ice Arena and on Senior Day at 84 Lumber Arena - and scored four or more goals in each meeting. This will be the first time that the season series between the Colonials and PSU has begun in the Steel City.
 
Scouting Penn State – At 7-6-3, the Nittany Lions have tied a program record for wins in a season and currently sit a point ahead of Robert Morris in the CHA standings. Sophomore forwards Amy Petersen and Laura Bowman have been the offensive catalysts, collecting 18 (9g, 9a) and 16 (7g, 9a) points, respectively. The freshmen class has excelled, with forward Caitlin Reilly and goaltender Hannah Ehresmann each winning a CHA Rookie of the Week award. Reilly has tallied seven points (3g, 4a), while Ehresmann is 3-2-3 with a 1.82 goals against average and a save percentage of .940 in eight starts. Senior netminder Celine Whitlinger has also started eight games, going 4-4-0 with a .910 save percentage and a goals against average of 2.88.
 
Last Time Out – Robert Morris dropped a non-conference game to Ohio State this past Friday, 5-1.
 
The Colonials stumbled out of the gates, giving up two goals in the opening 4:16. The Buckeyes added a third on the power play midway through the second period before RMU could respond.
 
However, that Colonial response from Mackenzie Johnston was waved off as video review determined the puck never crossed the goal line. The tally would have been Johnston's third in as many games.
 
OSU added two more goals to take a 5-0 lead going into the final frame.
 
RMU got on the board with 7:03 remaining in the contest as Leah Carlson converted on a short-handed opportunity for her first career goal. Jessica Dodds was credited with the assist, giving the sophomore goaltender three for her career.
 
Dodds stopped 37 of 42 shots in the defeat.
 
Know Your Enemy – Rebecca Vint has given the Nittany Lions nightmares in her career. Without the addition of a three-point performance (1g,2a) in an exhibition victory as a freshman, Vint has scored 12 goals and dished out a helper in eight contests against Penn State. In her first game against the Nittany Lions, Vint tied a school record with five goals as the Colonials coasted to a 7-1 victory.
 
Vint is one of seven current players who have scored against PSU. Brittany Howard has tallied three goals, while Katie Fergus, Maeve Garvey, Ashley Vesci, and Katelyn Scott have all lit the lamp twice against the Nittany Lions. Anissa Gamble also tallied a goal on Nov. 1, 2013 at State College.
 
Jessica Dodds made three starts against PSU last season, blanking the Nittany Lions twice. Dodds stopped 61 of 63 shots for a 0.67 goals against average and a save percentage of .968.
 
Remember the First – After going 36 games in two and a half seasons without a goal, Leah Carlson lit the lamp for the first time in the Colonials' loss to Ohio State on Black Friday.
 
Carlson becomes the sixth different Colonial to score their first career goal this season, joining fellow defensemen Erin Staniewski (Sept. 26 vs. Bemidji State) and Mikaela Lowater (Nov. 1 at Mercyhurst) and freshmen Jessica Gazzola (Oct. 3 at Maine), Katherine Murphy (Oct. 10 vs. Colgate), and Natalie Fraser (Nov. 7 at Lindenwood).
 
Six players also tallied their first career goal last season: Anissa Gamble (Oct. 26 vs. Vermont), Maeve Garvey (Oct. 11 at Bemidji State), Brittany Howard (Oct. 5 vs. RPI), Mackenzie Johnston (Nov. 15 vs. Lindenwood), Rikki Meilleur (Jan. 18 at Quinnipiac), and Ashley Vesci (Oct. 19 vs. Boston University). A seventh, Kelsey Gunn, scored her first in a RMU uniform on Nov. 9 against Mercyhurst.
 
Helping the Offense – While the job description for a goaltender is pretty self-explanatory, Jessica Dodds has added another line to her resume - facilitator of the offense.
 
Dodds assisted on the only Colonial goal this past Friday, giving her the third helper of her career. Her other two assists came on Nov. 9, 2013 vs. Mercyhurst and March 7, 2014 vs. RIT.
 
The only other two RMU netminders to collect an assist in their careers are Brianne McLaughlin (Jan. 26, 2008 vs. Wayne State) and Kristen DiCiocco (Jan. 22, 2010 vs. Sacred Heart).
 
Block Party – Robert Morris currently leads the nation in total blocked shots and blocked shots per game. The Colonials have stopped 321 shots from reaching their goaltenders, four more than second place, and average 18.9 blocked shots per contest.
 
Mikaela Lowater, Erin Staniewski, and Kelsey Gunn all sit in a seven-way tie for seventh in this category, individually. All three players have blocked 32 shots this season.
 
Among forwards, Rikki Meilleur ranks fifth with 27 blocked shots.
 
This is familiar territory for RMU, as it has ranked in the top four nationally in blocked shots in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The Colonials slotted third two seasons ago with 489 blocked shots, and were fourth last season with 575.
 
Orange, Buckeyes, & Nittany Lions…Oh My! – This weekend's series against Penn State closes out a five-game home stand to end 2014, which ties a school record in consecutive games at home to complete a year.
 
The stretch at home, which officially ends with an exhibition against the University of Windsor after the New Year, is the same length as the closing home stand of 2006, which featured two games against No. 2 Wisconsin (12/1-2) and No. 1 Mercyhurst (12/9-10) and a single meeting with Quinnipiac (12/3).
 
Following the tilt with Winsdor, RMU hits the road for a weekend series against RIT on Jan. 9-10 before returning home for six more games at 84 Lumber Arena. Altogether, the historic stretch consists of 10 home games with the two meetings versus the Tigers serving as the lone outlier.
 
Packed Lumberyard – Robert Morris' game against Ohio State on Black Friday brought a school record 826 fans out to 84 Lumber Arena, breaking the previous mark of 780 on Jan. 8, 2010 against Connecticut.
 
The last time RMU had played in front of a crowd that large (1,122) was on Jan. 21, 2012 at Mercyhurst when the Colonials earned their first victory over the in-state rival Lakers, 3-2.
 
Networking with the Colonials – Fans can follow the Colonials on Twitter @RMUWHockey to get updates on the team throughout the season. The account has the 16th most followers among NCAA Division I women's hockey teams at 1,237.

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