Pittsburgh, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University women's hockey team was unable to hold off an opportunistic Rochester Institute of Technology attack, falling to the Tigers this evening, 3-1, in Game 1 of the College Hockey America (CHA) Quarterfinals.
Third-seeded Robert Morris (11-18-5, 8-8-4 CHA) is now on the brink of elimination despite holding statistical edges in shot attempts (69-44), shots on goal (31-21), and face-offs (38-24).
The loss snaps the Colonials' four-game unbeaten streak and is their first postseason defeat at 84 Lumber Arena since March 1, 2007 against Mercyhurst.
RMU applied pressure early in the first period and was rewarded with the game's first power play five minutes in. Sophomore forward
Mackenzie Johnston put together two good chances on the man advantage, but both were denied by RIT (12-18-5, 5-12-3 CHA) netminder Ali Binnington.
The sixth-seeded Tigers scored nine minutes into the opening frame when a shot from the top of the right circle by Emilee Bulleid zigzagged through traffic and found a crease through the five-hole of sophomore goaltender
Jessica Dodds.
The hosts continued to turn up the intensity, creating a two-on-one with six and a half minutes left in the stanza. Freshman forward
Amanda Pantaleo supplied a Johnston with a great feed at the doorstep, but Binnington slid across the crease to make the stop.
The Colonials would knot things up at one with 5:15 remaining in the first period. Senior captain
Rebecca Vint won a draw in the neutral zone, igniting a three-on-one rush when she found classmate
Maddie Collias skating down the left boards. Collias corralled the puck and sniped a wrist-shot from the circle over the right shoulder of Binnington for her fifth goal of the season.
A multitude of penalties early in the middle frame would ultimately spark RIT to its second goal. The Tigers went on a five-on-three power play after Johnston and junior defenseman
Leah Carlson were whistled for respective roughing and hooking calls. However, that two-man advantage would be short-lived when Carly Payerl picked up a slashing call on the ensuing face-off. After Carlson returned to the ice, Mackenzie Stone would gather the puck in the slot. Her first two tries were unsuccessful, but the third whack at the puck proved to be the game-winner with 15:41 remaining in the period.
Binnington took over in the closing stanza, denying RMU the opportunity to tie the game. Collias tested her 28 seconds into the frame with a slap shot on a two-on-one, but the RIT goaltender was there to make the save.
Freshman forward
Jessica Gazzola had the Colonials' next dangerous chance with 13 minutes left, but a backhanded shot on a bouncing puck at the doorstep was stopped.
Collias tried another slap shot with five and a half minutes remaining after stealing the puck in the neutral zone, but she was denied.
Dodds skated to the bench in favor of an extra skater at the 18:29 mark of the period. RMU tried another crossing pass 11 seconds later when Gazzola connected with fellow rookie
Katherine Murphy, but the Cary, N.C. native couldn't push the puck pass Binnington on the one-timer chance.
The Tigers iced the game with 17 seconds left as Caitlin Wallace corralled a rebound off the boards from Lindsay Grigg and buried it into the empty net.
Dodds made 18 saves in the loss. Senior defenseman
Kelsey Gunn led the Colonials with three blocks on the evening.
Senior assistant captain
Katelyn Scott was recognized during pre-game as one of five finalists for the BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award. With the honor, the Hockey Humanitarian Foundation will donate $250 to a charity of Scott's choice. CHA commissioner Robert DeGregorio presented the senior defenseman with a check made out to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.
Robert Morris will look to extend its season tomorrow afternoon in Game 2 of the CHA Quarterfinals. Opening face-off for the sixth meeting this year between the Colonials and Tigers is set for 3:05 p.m. from 84 Lumber Arena.
