#3 Robert Morris Colonials (11-17-5, 8-8-4 CHA) vs. #6 RIT Tigers (11-18-5, 5-12-3 CHA)
Game 1 – Friday, February 27, 2015 / 84 Lumber Arena – Pittsburgh, Pa. / 7:05 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday, February 28, 2015 / 84 Lumber Arena – Pittsburgh, Pa. / 3:05 p.m.
Game 3 (if necessary) – Sunday, March 1, 2015 / 84 Lumber Arena – Pittsburgh, Pa. / 3:05 p.m.

Top Story – Robert Morris enters the CHA Tournament with momentum as it swept Penn State by identical 4-1 scores this past weekend. With the sweep, the Colonials earned the third seed based on a season series tiebreaker against the Nittany Lions and will host sixth-seeded RIT this weekend in a best of three quarterfinal matchup. RMU could erase some of the pain from the ending of last season with a series victory, as the Tigers knocked off the Colonials in the 2014 CHA Semifinals, 4-1. RMU last held the CHA Quarterfinals at 84 Lumber Arena in 2012-13 when it defeated fifth-seeded Lindenwood in two games. That series is most notable for its first game, where the Colonials defeated the Lions in triple overtime, 2-1.
 
Series History – The series between Robert Morris and RIT has never lacked drama. The Colonials trail the Tigers by the slimmest of margins at 6-7-3, with 10 of the 16 contests coming down to one goal. In fact, the first five meetings between RMU and RIT were all one-goal affairs. The two teams split the season series at 1-1-2, with both ties coming two weeks ago on Valentine's Day weekend at 84 Lumber Arena. The series in Rochester featured a Colonial win on Jan. 9, 2-0, and a Tigers 3-2 victory the following day. With RMU's well-documented close history against Syracuse (11-9-8), maybe it's just something about conference opponents that don the color orange.
 
Scouting RIT – RIT, the CHA Tournament reigning champions, will enter this year's postseason as the sixth seed after compiling a record of 5-12-3 in league play. The Tigers are led by senior goaltender Ali Binnington, who has posted a 1.90 goals against average and save percentage of .931 in 22 starts. Sophomore Brooke Stoddard and junior Jetta Rackleff have also seen time between the pipes, combining for 15 appearances. Offensively, seniors Celeste Brown, Kolbee McCrea, and Lindsay Grigg pace RIT. Brown leads the Tigers in goals (10) and points (6), while McCrea and Grigg each have registered 15 points this season. RIT is the second most penalized team in the nation, averaging 5.15 trips to the box per contest.


 
Last Time Out – Robert Morris closed the regular season on a high note, sweeping in-state rival Penn State at State College.
 
The Colonials won both games by the same 4-1 score.
 
In Friday's contest, Rebecca Vint opened the scoring with some nifty puck-handling, dangling it through the legs of a Nittany Lion defenseman before beating the goaltender through her five-hole.
 
Rikki Meilleur one-timed a feed from Megan Eady less than four minutes later to give RMU a 2-0 lead after one.
 
Vint struck again with 57 seconds left in the second period by finding a five-hole opening once again.
 
Jessica Gazzola concluded the Colonial scoring in the third period by tucking the puck underneath the crossbar.
 
Dodds made 33 saves on the afternoon, with her lone blemish coming on a power play.
 
RMU completed the sweep despite falling in an early 1-0 hole.
 
Vint tied the game late in the opening stanza on a short-handed breakaway.
 
A long stretch on the power play provided two goals in the middle frame as Amanda Pantaleo and Mackenzie Johnston ripped the net.
 
Mikaela Lowater added a cherry on top by scoring on a two-on-one short-handed breakaway.
 
Dodds stopped 24 saves in the win.
 
Know Your Enemy – Rebecca Vint has shown consistency against RIT in her career, collecting four goals and three assists. Last season on Feb. 14, 2014, Vint scored a third-period, short-handed goal to give RMU a 2-1 victory over the Tigers in Rochester.
 
Ashley Vesci and Amanda Pantaleo each scored unassisted tallies in the teams' last series on Valentine's Day weekend. Katie Fergus added the second goal alongside Vint's in a 2-2 tie on Feb. 13.
 
Jessica Dodds has made nine starts against RIT in her career, compiling a 1.78 goals against average and a save percentage of .933.
 
Miss March – If cross-sport references between baseball and hockey are your thing, then Brianna and Cobina Delaney could both be considered the program's Reggie Jackson as notable postseason heroes.
 
Brianna (2008-12) tallied a program-high nine points in the postseason on four goals and five assists. In the 2012 CHA Championship Game, she scored the game-winning goal in RMU's 3-2 upset win over Mercyhurst.
 
Cobina (2009-13) scored three goals and dished out five assists in nine playoff contests. In the 2013 CHA Quarterfinals, she tallied the triple overtime walk-off winner in the Colonials' 2-1 victory over Lindenwood.
 
Kristen DiCiocco (2009-13) also has an argument for the title. In six postseason appearances, DiCiocco, who was the 2012 CHA Tournament MVP, posted a 1.49 goals against average and a save percentage of .950.
 
Among current players, Rebecca Vint might fit the bill. The senior captain has collected two goals and three assists in six playoff games. In total, six players on this season's team have generated at least one point in a postseason contest.
 
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 eight for extra frames played at fourth and eighth, respectively.
 
Freaky Twin Thing – The scores of the Colonials' last two series might cause you to do a double take, but the identical scores are not a mirage. RMU played to two 2-2 ties on Senior Day weekend against RIT, and swept Penn State by two 4-1 scores last weekend. Eight other series in program history have produced the same score on both days.
 
Block Party – Robert Morris is second in the nation in blocks per game and total blocks. The Colonials have stopped 586 shots from reaching their goaltenders and have blocked an average of 17.76 shots per contest. They trail Bemidji State by 25 total blocks and 0.21 per game.
 
Mikaela Lowater leads the team with 82 blocks, ranking her fifth nationally.
 
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 1.76 goals against average and a save percentage of .944 - the latter being the nation's sixth highest mark in 2015. 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 2.54) by 0.82 and raised her save percentage (.890 to .918) by .028.
 
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 17th most followers among NCAA Division I women's hockey teams at 1,379.

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