Pittsburgh, Pa. – Time ran out on the Robert Morris University women's hockey team's late rally, while the Lindenwood Lions' early momentum prevailed, as the No. 4 seed Colonials dropped a 4-3 decision to the No. 5 seed Lions in the first game of a best-of-three College Hockey America Tournament First Round series Friday night at 84 Lumber Arena.
 
The Colonials (15-15-5) and the Lions (9-22-4) return to the ice Saturday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. for Game 2 of the CHA playoff series.
 
Juniors Maeve Garvey and Mackenzie Johnston, and sophomore Amanda Pantaleo scored for the Colonials. Freshman defenseman Maggie LaGue recorded her fourth career multi-point game with two assists. Freshman goaltender Lauren Bailey logged 26:25 of ice time, made eight saves, allowed no goals and kept the Colonials in position for a late comeback.
 
Robert Morris trailed by four goals nearly forty minutes into the game, but the Colonials responded with two consecutive tallies to end and begin the second and third periods and cut the Lions' lead in half. Late in the third, RMU added an extra attacker, which led to Johnston's goal and brought the home team within one with 1:25 remaining in the frame.
 
Once Robert Morris regained possession of the puck in their offensize zone, the team pulled its goaltender and piled the pressure on Lindenwood's defense. The Lions put a few pucks dangerously close to the Colonials' empty net, but were unable to score. The clock wound down before Robert Morris could put another point up on the board, however, and Lindenwood gained the early edge in the postseason series.
 
Back-to-back power-play goals from Lindenwood sustained the Lions' momentum from a two-goal first period and gave the visitors a hefty four-goal advantage. Surrounded by Lions defenders, Pantaleo managed to get a shot off from the right faceoff dot and was knocked to the ice as the puck sailed past Lindenwood goaltender, senior Nicole Hensley, and put the Colonials on the board.
 
The Pantaleo tally ignited a spark in the Colonials' offense and RMU went on to score three unanswered, but the turning point for Robert Morris occurred just a bit too late in the game.
 
For the second consecutive game, RMU allowed its opponent to score first. The Colonials held a narrow edge in shots on goal after the first 20 minutes of action, but the Lions got two of theirs to go. Freshman forward Shannon Morris-Reade struck first for the Lions with a five hole shot on junior goaltender Jessica Dodds. With under three minutes to play in the opening frame, senior forward Shara Jasper went glove side to put the Lions ahead by two heading into the locker room for the first intermission.
 
In between the first two Lindenwood goals, the Colonials put five shots on net during the first power-play opportunity of the game, but could not get the puck past Hensley. RMU went 0-for-2 on the power play on the night, while Lindenwood converted on two of four opportunities.
 
 
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