PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Multi-point efforts from Jaycee Gebhard and Natalie Marcuzzi helps propel the Robert Morris University women's hockey team to a 5-2 win over RIT on Senior Day on The Island Saturday.
All three RMU seniors recorded at least a point, as Gebhard, Marcuzzi, and Sarah Lecavalier combined for six in their final regular season home game as Colonials to push RMU to 18-10-4 (12-4-2 CHA) on the year. Raygan Kirk stopped 17 of 18 shots in goal to earn her 13th win of the year.
"At this point in the year, games have momentum swings," head coach Paul Colontino said. "We thought we had a pretty good first and second and then obviously go into the third 3-2. We talk alot about leadership throughout the year, and our seniors were just outstanding. The way they handle pressure and then more importantly the way they respond to it."
You couldn't have written a more perfect script to start Saturday afternoon's home finale, as all three of RMU's three seniors combined to put the Colonials on top just 35 seconds into the game.
After collecting a dump in in the corner from Lecavalier, Gebhard settled the puck behind the RIT cage and cooley surveyed her options before feeding a slick pass to Marcuzzi near the side of the net. The Thornhill, Ontario native buried it with a quick wrister past Jessi O'Leary for her second goal in as many games.
She nearly made it 2-0 minutes later on what would have been another hi-light reel goal, breaking in over the blue line and walking around a defender for a backhand try that beat O'Leary but struck the post and somehow stayed out.
Unfortunately, a Marcuzzi goal wasn't the only similarity to Friday's game, as RIT tied things up at 8:38 of the opening frame after a long point shot managed to sneak through a maze of bodies and past Kirk. A lengthy review for a potential offside came back inconclusive as the Tigers drew even at one apiece.
RMU continued to forecheck heavily, maintaining an aggressive mindset that has served them so well all season, and was soon rewarded once again.
Gebhard put RMU back on top with just under seven minutes to play, winning an offensive zone draw before burying a shot from the slot off a nice feed from Lexi Templeman for her second point of the opening frame.
"I thought it was just a heck of a game all around. Loved our leadership, and it was such a great game for our seniors to end their home careers with," Colontino said.
Courtney Kollman made it 3-1 with 27 seconds left, taking a beautiful feed from Marcuzzi behind the net and ripping a shot from the slot to give the Colonials a two-goal lead and Marcuzzi her second point of the frame.
RIT answered with some good pressure of their own in the second, testing Kirk on a number of chances off of sustained zone time. A pad save on a point shot from Justine Larkin before another minutes later on Logan Land hi-lighted the keeper's efforts to keep RMU ahead 3-1.
A questionable call helped RIT cut it to 3-2 with four minutes left in the second when Abby Davies appeared to interfere with Kirk fighting for a loose puck in the crease, however Davies' effort to poke the loose puck through her legs was upheld with a goal.
Both teams settled in for a tight-checking third, with RMU searching for more breathing room and RIT pushing all-out for an equalizer.
For ten minutes neither team managed to find much of a foothold, as lot of end to end action but little zone time produced previous few scoring chances for either squad.
After half a period of searching, Gebhard finally restored RMU's two-goal lead, causing a turnover at the RIT blue line before walking in on O'Leary and picking the top corner with a perfectly placed shot to make it 4-2 for her third point of the afternoon.
Janey Sandoval capped it off with her first goal of the year minutes later to make it 5-2 and secure the win for RMU in their final home game of the season.
The Colonials close out their regular-season schedule next weekend at Syracuse on Friday and Saturday night.
"Every year as a coach, you ask yourself 'How does the next group work to raise the bar, and ironically, they all find a way," Colontino said. "It's just absolutely incredible. This group was a smaller group in number, but a huge group in stature."
