ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Robert Morris University women's hockey team downed RIT in midweek action 5-3 Wednesday afternoon at the Polisseni Center to move to 11-5-1 on the year.
Defenders Alyson Hebert and Anna Fairman each scored their first career goals in the victory for RMU, while Lexi Templeman, Michaela Boyle, and Ellie Marcovsky each finished with two points a piece.
Wednesday was a game of momentum swings between the Colonials and host Tigers, as RMU raced out to an early lead before having to withstand a strong pushback from RIT in the latter half of the game.
Gillian Thompson picked up what was the first of three goals from the Colonials blueline Wednesday, walking in with the puck and beating Taylor Liotta with a well-placed shot after RMU got traffic to the front of the net with a nice screen on the keeper.
Hebert got in on the action on the very next shift, working the puck quickly down from the neutral zone on a rush with Templeman and Marcovsky before finishing it off for her first goal in her 50th career RMU game.
Templeman nearly made it 3-0 before the period was out, but Liotta managed to blocker away her shot after a good-looking scoring chance in the slot.
After a solid kill to kick off the second, Fairman made it a 3-0 lead with a beautiful individual effort, rushing past a pair of RIT defender with possession before finishing off the drive by beating Liotta and ultimately chasing her from the net.
The Tigers would soon manage a response, however. Minutes after the Fairman tally, Christa Stefanopoulos cut it to 3-1, fining a shot off the point and in to stem the RMU onslaught.
Abby Davies made it 3-2 just shifts after the Stefanopoulpos tally as RIT went from down 3-0 to 3-2 in just 1:50 of elapsed time.
Another push for RIT to start the final period tested the Colonials defensively, however they managed to avoid damage before Michaela Boyle relieved the pressure and restored the two-goal lead at 13:09.
An empty-netter for Maggy Burbidge sealed the deal and the win for RMU.
SCORING PLAYS
Thompson, 9:35, 1st - Assists: Boyle, Marcovsky
Hebert, 9:50, 1st - Assists: Marcovsky, Templeman
Fairman, 13:49, 2nd - Unassisted
Stefanopoulos, 14:55, 2nd - Assists: Solinger, Larson
Davies, 16:45, 2nd - Assists: Haywood
Boyle, 13:09, 2nd - Assists: Templeman
Haywood, 17:47, 3rd - Unassisted
Burbidge, 18:39, 3rd (EN) - Unassisted
QUICK HITS
First career goals for Fairman and Hebert…Three Colonials finished with multiple points…Colonials outshot RIT 41-20…power play finished 0-3
NEXT UP
RMU plays its first and only non-conference series of the season this weekend when they host Sacred Heart on Saturday and Sunday at Clearview Arena.
