Robert Morris Colonials (9-17-5, 6-8-4 CHA) @ Penn State Nittany Lions (15-13-4, 9-7-2 CHA)
Friday, February 20, 2015 / Pegula Ice Arena – State College, Pa. / 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 21, 2015 / Pegula Ice Arena – State College, Pa. / Noon

Top Story – Following a series split with two ties against RIT, Robert Morris caps off the regular season by traveling two and a half hours east to State College for a two-game set with Penn State. The Colonials sit four points behind the Nittany Lions and Syracuse in the College Hockey America (CHA) standings, but can only finish as high as third due to falling on the short end of various tiebreakers. RMU also is two points ahead of Lindenwood for fourth place and a home series in the CHA Quarterfinals and hold an edge on the Lions with three wins this season.


 
Series History – Robert Morris has dominated Penn State since the Nittany Lions moved their club team to NCAA Division I in 2012-13, winning nine of the 10 meetings plus an exhibition in 2011. This season PSU picked up its first win over the Colonials on Dec. 5, but RMU rebounded the next day with a 4-2 victory. The Colonials have scored at least four goals in each of their wins over the Nittany Lions, and have allowed more than two goals just once. This will be the first time that the season series between RMU and PSU has closed in State College.
 
Scouting Penn State – Penn State currently sits in a tie with Syracuse for second in the CHA standings, but holds the tiebreaker thanks to a series victory over the Orange. The Nittany Lions, who have shattered their previous single-season record for wins with 15, are led offensively by sophomores Laura Bowman and Amy Petersen, who have combined for 27 goals, 29 assists, and 56 points. PSU has also gotten 10 goals from junior Shannon Yoxheimer, who serves as a captain for the Nittany Lions. Both junior Celine Whitlinger and freshman Hannah Ehresmann have seen considerable time in net for PSU, but Whitlinger has earned the last seven starts. She has posted a 2.15 goals against average and a save percentage of .936 this season.
 
Last Time Out – For the second time this season, Robert Morris split a series at home with two ties. This time around, the recipient of the other two CHA points was RIT.
 
The Colonials and Tigers played to a 2-2 draw in both contests. On Friday, a third-period goal by Katie Fergus preserved the tie for the Colonials.
 
RIT scored 12 and a half minutes in as Mackenzie Stone cashed in on a power play. RMU wouldn't respond until the final minute of the second period, when Rebecca Vint went top-shelf off passes from Rikki Meilleur and Megan Eady.
 
However, the Tigers clawed right back 42 seconds later as Marissa Maugeri buried a rebound.
 
Dodds stopped 23 of 25 shots on the evening.
 
RIT dented the scoreboard first on the Colonials' Senior Day when Kolbee McCrea lit the lamp. However, it was RMU's turn to respond quickly as Ashley Vesci potted an unassisted goal 27 seconds later.
 
Jess Paton made it 2-1 Tigers with a short-handed tally late in the first period. The Colonials would get their answer with 2:21 remaining in the middle stanza with a goal from Amanda Pantaleo.
 
Dodds made 33 saves on the afternoon.
 
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 13 goals and dished out a helper in 10 contests against Penn State. She scored a record-tying five goals in her first game at State College as the Colonials coasted to a 7-1 victory.
 
Vint is one of 10 current players who have scored against the Nittany Lions. Brittany Howard has tallied three goals, while Katie Fergus, Maeve Garvey, Katelyn Scott, and Ashley Vesci have all lit the lamp twice. Anissa Gamble, Jessica Gazzola, Mackenzie Johnston, and Rikki Meilleur also have scored against PSU, with the latter three players ripping the net in a 4-2 win on Dec. 6.
 
Jessica Dodds has posted a 1.80 goals against average and .914 save percentage in five starts against the Nittany Lions, and has blanked them twice on Nov. 1, 2013 and Feb. 22, 2014.
 
Seeding Scenarios – Entering the final weekend of the regular season, Robert Morris is locked into the CHA Quarterfinal round, but its opponent or destination has not been finalized yet.
 
The Colonials could pull into a three-way tie for second with Penn State and Syracuse with a sweep over the Nittany Lions and a RIT sweep over the Orange. However, that would slot RMU into the fourth seed based on record amongst tied teams and wins in conference.
 
If the Colonials sweep the Nittany Lions and Syracuse earns one point over the Tigers, then RMU will host RIT in the 3/6 matchup of the CHA Quarterfinals.
 
The Colonials can lock up the fourth seed with: two points this weekend against Penn State, one point plus three or less from Lindenwood, or no points and two or less from the Lions. Lindenwood hosts Mercyhurst this weekend.
 
Workin' Overtime – Robert Morris has played a school record 11 overtime contests this season, one more than the previous two seasons combined.
 
The Colonials are one behind conference foe Syracuse for the most overtime games this season. RIT and Lindenwood are also in the top seven for extra frames played at fourth and seventh, respectively.
 
I've Got This – Ashley Vesci and Amanda Pantaleo each scored unassisted goals in the Colonials' 2-2 tie with RIT on Valentine's Day. This is the 10th different time the Colonials have scored multiple unassisted goals in a game.
 
The previous nine other times include: 2/18/06 vs. Sacred Heart (3; W, 7-3), 1/13/07 at Niagara (2; W, 4-0), 12/30/07 vs. Minnesota State Mankato (2; W, 7-4), 10/3/09 vs. No. 4 Minnesota Duluth (2; W, 4-1), 1/23/10 vs. Sacred Heart (2; W, 13-4), 10/7/11 vs. Lindenwood (2; W, 8-0); 10/8/11 vs. Lindenwood (2; W, 7-2), 1/12/13 (2; W, 5-2), 12/7/13 vs. RIT (3; W, 4-2).
 
Block Party – Robert Morris currently leads the nation in blocks per game and total blocks. The Colonials have stopped 570 shots from reaching their goaltenders and have blocked an average of 18.39 shots per contest, 1.20 more than second-place Bemidji State.
 
Mikaela Lowater leads the team with 81 blocks, ranking her fourth nationally. Among forwards, Rebecca Vint is in 10th with 40.
 
This is familiar territory for RMU, as it has ranked in the top four nationally in blocks in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The Colonials slotted third two seasons ago with 489 blocks, and were fourth last season with 575.
 
Dodds Hitting Her Stride – Robert Morris has taken the "new year, new me" approach in 2015 and sophomore goaltender Jessica Dodds is no different, excelling thus far in the New Year.
 
Since the turn of the calendar, Dodds has compiled a 1.92 goals against average and a save percentage of .941. She blanked RIT with 34 saves on Jan. 9, and stopped 40+ pucks twice - against No. 4 Quinnipiac (Jan. 16) and Mercyhurst (Jan. 30).
 
Dodds' 2015 success has lowered her goals against average (3.36 to 2.66) by 0.70 and raised her save percentage (.890 to .915) by .025.
 
Great Scott – Katelyn Scott is one of five finalists for the 2015 BNY Mellon Wealth Hockey Humanitarian Award, which is presented annually to college hockey's finest citizen.
 
This is the first time since 2011 (Whitney Pappas) that Robert Morris has had a student-athlete named a finalist and also the fifth consecutive year in which a Colonial was nominated for the award.
 
Scott joins Wisconsin senior Brittany Ammerman, Minnesota-Duluth senior Zoe Hickel, North Dakota senior Mark McMillan, and Babson junior Jamie Murray as finalists. The winner will be announced at the NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Boston on April 10.
 
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 1,371.

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