Pittsburgh, Pa. –
Robert Morris University women's hockey junior assistant captain
Ashley Vesci scored twice to lead the Colonials over the University of Windsor, 4-1, in exhibition play this evening from 84 Lumber Arena.
After a slow first period, Robert Morris ramped up the intensity in the middle frame as it exploded for four goals. Vesci scored the first and third tallies of the period, while fellow forwards
Amanda Pantaleo and
Anissa Gamble added the second and fourth.
Vesci's first goal came 44 seconds into the stanza on a power play. Sophomore goaltender
Jessica Dodds skated out to the right face-off circle to corral a dump-in, and passed it up the ice to senior assistant captain
Maddie Collias. Collias then found Vesci in the offensive zone, and the Steel City native ripped a wrist-shot past Lancers netminder Marissa Kozovski to break the scoreless tie.
It didn't take long after that for the Colonials to score their second of the game. Pantaleo got her stick on a slap-shot from junior defenseman
Leah Carlson, deflecting it past Kozovski to double the RMU advantage. Gamble was credited with the secondary assist on the goal.
Two minutes later the Colonials had a third off a nice individual effort from Vesci. Junior defenseman
Megan Eady forced a turnover in the neutral zone and passed it to her classmate. Vesci used a toe drag to catch the Windsor goaltender off-balance before poking the puck through for her second of the contest.
Gamble would add RMU's last goal with 8:19 remaining in the period as her shot from the left circle beat Kozovski. Senior assistant captain
Katelyn Scott and Collias were credited with the helpers.
The Lancers spoiled the Colonials' shutout bid with 5:40 left in the contest as Candice Chevalier scored on the power play.
Dodds made 16 saves in the first two periods before giving way to fellow sophomore
Carley Catherine, who stopped four shots in the final 20 minutes.
Robert Morris returns the College Hockey America (CHA) slate of its schedule next weekend as it travels to RIT. The first meeting between the Colonials and Tigers is set for a 3:00 p.m. start on Friday, Jan. 9 from the Gene Polisseni Center.
