Providence, R.I. – The Robert Morris University women's hockey team opened the 2016-17 season with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Providence College Saturday afternoon at Schneider Arena.
 
This is the first season-opening win for the Colonials since 2012, when RMU kicked off the 2012-13 slate with a 2-0 victory versus Yale.
 
Freshman Jaycee Gebhard and sophomore Amber Rennie, the top-line pair of Notre Dame Hounds alumnae, posted two points apiece with a goal and an assist each. Senior Maeve Garvey scored the game-winning goal with just seconds to go in the third period. Junior Jessica Gazzola and sophomore Maggie LaGue assisted on the game winner. Redshirt junior Brittany Howard and senior defenseman Mikaela Lowater added assists. Sophomore goaltender Lauren Bailey made the season-opening start, and stopped 29 pucks.
 
RMU (1-0-0) trailed 2-1 to open the third period, but head coach Paul Colontino had a simple message for the Colonials heading into the final 20 minutes of action.
 
"Answer the bell," said Colontino. "Providence did a great job coming out in the second after being down and they really took it to us. It was our turn to respond, and that's what we did. Special teams got involved and those opportunities were huge, but the message was just that we need to leave it all on the ice."
 
Over midway through the third period, Gebhard scored her first collegiate goal on a power-play feed from Howard and Rennie, to tie the game, 2-2. Just as it appeared the game was about to head into overtime, the Colonials capitalized on another man advantage. Garvey caught a pass from LaGue and opened her senior season with the game-winning goal.
 
"We knew going into the third period that we had to put a few pucks in the back of the net," said Garvey, "and we wanted to take advantage of special teams. Maggie [LaGue] made a good pass and I was able to put it into the back of the net."
 
Garvey echoed Colontino's sentiments regarding the team's mindset heading into the third and final period.
 
"We knew we were going to get our chances back," Garvey added. "There were power plays going both ways, and we just had to take advantage of our chances. We were able to do that and come out on top."
 
Providence (0-2-0, 0-1-0 WHEA) put Robert Morris to the test in the second period, as they fired 10 shots at Bailey, while the Colonials managed to take just four throughout the frame. The Friars' first goal occurred on a short-handed chance. Less than three minutes later, Providence struck again and captured its first lead of the game, 2-1. The Friars carried the one-goal advantage into the locker room to end the period.
 
Colontino was refreshed to see his squad respond to adversity early on.
 
"It's fantastic," he said. "To see that from not necessarily a younger team, but in the first game of the season, the ups and downs aren't always easy to handle for any team. The response we got was great. Our veterans took control, and everyone below found a way to contribute."
 
The top line in particular made major contributions in today's game, as Rennie, Howard and Gebhard combined for five of the team's nine points. Colontino was complimentary of their performance and level of comfortability with one another on the ice.
 
"We've seen tidbits of it throughout the preseason in practice and exhibition," Colontino said, "and you just hope they continue to grow each game and develop a little bit more chemistry."
 
Robert Morris completes the two-game series at Providence College tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. in Schneider Arena.
 
 
Power Surge
All three of the Colonials goals today were scored on the power play. Robert Morris went 3-for-7 on the man advantage.
 
Starting Strong
For the first time since the 2012-13 season, Colontino and the Colonials started a season with a victory.
 
 
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