Troy, N.Y. – Backed by an incredible performance by junior goaltender Jessica Dodds, the Robert Morris University women's hockey team shut out Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 2-0, Friday evening at the Houston Field House in Troy, N.Y.
 
Dodds made a season-high 39 stops en route to her seventh career shutout. She is now one shutout shy of tying two-time Olympic silver medalist and NWHL netminder Brianne McLaughlin for first place in Robert Morris history in career shutouts.
 
Both Robert Morris (3-3-1) goals were scored in the second period. Junior Mackenzie Johnston found the back of the net on an aggressive play after she poked the puck away from RPI (2-3-0) freshman defenseman Josefine Hansen, charged toward the net and sent it in glove side with 7:46 remaining in the frame.
 
Senior Ashley Vesci netted the insurance goal, her second score of the season, with just 20 seconds remaining in the second period. Freshman Sarah Quaranta won a faceoff in the Colonials' zone and passed to junior defenseman Mikaela Lowater who dished to Vesci. The senior captain raced down the ice alongside sophomore forward Amanda Pantaleo to set up a 2-on-1 rush. Vesci kept the puck and sent it over the shoulder of RPI freshman goaltender Lovisa Selander to cushion the Colonials lead.
 
The Robert Morris defense shined as the Colonials killed off all four of RPI's power play opportunities. RMU's three goals were scored on just 14 shots taken. RPI more than doubled the Colonials' shots with 39, but Robert Morris blocked an impressive 23 pucks.
 
Game 2 between the Colonials and the Engineers gets underway Saturday, Oct. 17 at 4 p.m.
 
Quoting Head Coach Paul Colontino
On getting the first road win of the season…
It feels good. The girls battled hard and we killed off some key penalties and we obviously had some pretty tough shifts but [the team] found a way to weather the storm and stay in it.
 
On Jessica Dodds' shutout…
It was huge. She was seeing the puck extremely well. She had great control tonight and that helped the rest of our team play with confidence. Overall she played phenomenal.
 
On scoring on aggressive plays…
We felt like we had some really nice Grade A scoring opportunities and felt like we were doing well with them. With Mac [Mackenzie Johnston] it was a quick little turnover because she was working hard and putting pressure on their defense and she was rewarded with a mini breakaway. And the 2-on-1, which Vesci scored on right off the faceoff in the defensive zone, we put pressure on their defense and before we knew it she capitalized as well. Both were huge plays and we had others like it, which we didn't cash, but overall we thought that momentary key aggressiveness was able to pay off for us.
 
 
Record Watch
Tonight's 2-0 victory upped Jessica Dodds' career shutout total to seven. She is now one shutout shy of tying Brianne McLaughlin's all-time career shutout record at Robert Morris.
 
Hot Streaks
Freshman Sarah Quaranta is now riding a three-game point and assist streak.
 
Killin' It
Robert Morris' penalty kill unit has now killed off 10 consecutive penalties.
 
The Low Down
Junior defenseman Mikaela Lowater has recorded multiple points in her last two outings: (1-1-2 vs. Merrimack on Oct. 10 and 0-2-2 vs. RPI tonight).
 
 
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