TROY, N.Y. -- As far as non-conference wins in November go, Sunday's 6-1 victory over RPI was something special for the
Robert Morris University women's hockey team.
Not only did sophomore wing
Michaela Boyle net the fastest hat trick in team history, senior center
Jaycee Gebhard became the second Colonial ever to reach 100 career assists, climbing within two helpers of the program record.
On top of that, junior
Lexi Templeman assisted on two goals, classmate
Anjelica Diffendal scored two and the Colonials kept their November to remember rolling. RMU (8-5-1) has won all six games in the month, outscoring the opposition by a combined score of 25-7.
"The team did a great job of building off positive aspects for all six periods," said head coach
Paul Colontino, speaking on the two-game set against RPI in general. "We got better all the way around with each consecutive period."
Coming off a bye week, RMU took a little bit to get its offense going against winless RPI (0-14-1) on Friday, but steadily took command as the series went along. The second period was particularly fruitful over the weekend, as the Colonials pumped in five of their nine total goals in the middle frame.
That trend included Boyle's big Sunday. Her three-goal game is her second of the month, as the transfer from Clarkson University also notched a hat trick against Penn State on Nov. 2 at the RMU Island Sports Center. The native of Reading, Massachusetts, scored her 10th, 11th and 12th goals over a span of 3:43, growing RMU's lead from one goal to four.
After scoring five goals in 38 games as a freshman at Clarkson in 2017-18, Boyle ranks second in Division I women's hockey with 12 tallies in 14 outings with RMU.
"I have to give credit to my linemates," Boyle said. "They make my job easier by creating time and space and placing pucks on my tape. I think a huge part of my success can be attributed to them."
Templeman in particular was instrumental in two of Boyle's goals Sunday. On her first, with eight minutes left in the second, Templeman rounded a defender high in the offensive zone, dishing to defender
Gillian Thompson as she drew a tripping penalty. RPI goalie Jenn Gregg stopped Thompson's initial point shot, but Boyle slid the rebound in on her backhand.
After Boyle deflected
Emily Curlett's latest power-play blast for a 3-0 lead at 13:16, the hard-nosed winger completed the third natural hat trick in 15 seasons of RMU women's hockey by sniping a slot wrister over Gregg's right shoulder at 15:41.
Again, Templeman created the opening, stealing an RPI clearing attempt and handing to Boyle for her drive to the net. Templeman has 18 assists on the year, the third-most in the nation.
"I think Lexi is probably one of the most underrated players in the NCAA," Boyle said. "Her skill with and without the puck is incredible and her hockey IQ is off the charts. She sees a play develop faster than the average hockey player."
It takes a lot to overshadow Gebhard, who scored the first goal for the second consecutive game in addition to notching her century-mark assist on the Colonials' third tally. RMU's high-scoring captain picked her corner expertly during a short-handed rush in the first period, reaching the 10-goal mark quicker than she has in her previous three seasons.
Now with 29 points on the year and 163 for her career, Gebhard climbs ever closer to Howard's team records for assists (102) and points (181). There are 18 games to go in the regular season.
"It's a great achievement," Colontino said of Gebhard's 100 helpers. "We knew she was an exceptional player and capable of many great things, both on and off the ice."
Sunday's third period belonged to Robinson Township native Diffendal, who took on the RPI defense with a breathtaking rush and finish at 1:29. The 6-foot winger capped her first NCAA two-goal game with three minutes left, stashing senior
Natalie Marcuzzi's smart pass into a half-open net.
Also of note, freshman forward
Marah Wagner and junior defender Curlett each earned two assists, while sophomore goalie
Arielle DeSmet collected her third win of the season with 15 saves. The Colonials went 3 for 3 on the penalty kill, with all of those chances coming while the game was in doubt in the first period.
RMU will stay on the road in the Empire State next weekend, traveling to another non-conference opponent in St. Lawrence. Faceoffs are set for 3 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday at the home of the ECAC's Saints.
