Syracuse, N.Y. – The No. 7 Robert Morris University women's hockey team snapped Syracuse's four-game winning streak and earned a crucial two points toward the College Hockey America (CHA) standings with a 3-1 win over the Orange Friday night in Tennity Ice Pavilion.
 
The Colonials (17-2-6, 10-1-2) extended their lead over the Orange (9-11-5, 8-3-2) in the CHA ranks to four points with the victory, and stretched their unbeaten streak to four games.
 
Senior Maeve Garvey scored a career-high-tying two goals to increase her recent scoring streak to four goals in the last four games. Junior forward Jessica Gazzola scored her first goal of the CHA slate. The defensive pairing of sophomore Maggie LaGue and senior Mikaela Lowater each chipped in with an assist. Senior Jessica Dodds made 27 saves in net.
 
The Orange finally reached the scoreboard in the third period with a power-play goal to trim the Colonials' lead to one at 10:54, but the Robert Morris defense withstood a furious effort by the Syracuse attack to tie the game through the final half of the frame. Syracuse called timeout with 1:45 remaining in regulation, and the Orange pulled junior netminder Abbey Miller, but their game plan was thwarted by Garvey, who scored an empty-net goal at 18:44 to secure the 3-1 win.
 
Entering tonight's game, Miller had not allowed a goal since the second period against Penn State on Jan. 14, but the Colonials broke through the hot goalie early in the second period on back-to-back breakaways.  The scoring sequence started with a critical glove save made by Dodds in the Syracuse zone. Garvey skated the puck to the opposite end after the stop, and beat Miller glove side with a wrist shot to put RMU up, 1-0, at 7:47.
 
Less than two minutes later, Gazzola sped into the offensive zone and took a shot that bounced off the pipe and into the net behind Miller to make it a 2-0 game in favor of the Colonials with 10:20 to go in the second period.
 
A scoreless first period featured an evenly-matched effort from both squads. The Colonials and the Orange posted eight shots on goal apiece, and despite three total power-play opportunities, neither team converted on the advantage. Robert Morris appeared to score the first goal of the game, but after review, it was ruled that the puck was directed into the net by a kicking motion from the Colonials.
 
Robert Morris went 0-3 on the power play and 2-3 on the penalty kill. The Orange topped the Colonials in shots, 28-23.
 
RMU will aim to sweep the road series against Syracuse on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m.
 
 
Where They Stack Up
The Colonials currently lead the CHA standings by four points, ahead of Syracuse (9-11-5, 8-3-2) and Penn State (6-16-5, 5-6-2).
 
Road Warriors
Robert Morris improved to 8-1-2 overall on the road this season, and is undefeated in CHA road games (6-0-1).
 
Trending
Sophomore defenseman Maggie LaGue has posted a point in five of the last seven games, including her last two consecutive outings. Senior forward Maeve Garvey is riding a career-high four-game point streak, and has scored four goals in the last four games.
 
Milestone Watch
Redshirt junior forward Brittany Howard is now tied with Brianna Delaney for third place all-time in individual career points (121). She is two points shy of taking over second place on the career points list. She is also five goals short of improving to second place on the all-time career goals list at RMU.
 
 
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