MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU women's hockey team travels to Pegula Ice Arena this weekend for a two-game series against Penn State. The first game is set for Friday, November 22, at 2:00 PM, with the finale scheduled for Saturday, November 23, at 1:00 PM. Both matchups will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network+ (BTN+).
 
RMU LATELY
RMU (5-8-1, 0-3-1 AHA) looks to bounce back after being swept in a challenging series against Mercyhurst last weekend. Despite the losses, sophomore goaltender Maggie Hatch delivered a standout performance, setting a new career-high with 58 saves in the second game of the series. Her efforts totaled 94 saves over two games, marking a new personal best. Hatch's career night ranks fourth in RMU's program history, behind the record-holding 66 saves by current goalie coach Emma Gorski against Penn State last season.
 
BLOCK THE BISCUIT

• This season, the Colonials have excelled at shot-blocking, leading the AHA with an average of 21.0 blocks per game.
• Captain Allyson Hebert continues to anchor the defense, building on her 2023-24 conference-leading total of 71 blocks. She currently leads the league with 45 this season and has amassed 129 in her career.
• Teammates Shayne Desjardins, Kaitlyn Schooley, Mya Kearns, and Thalia D'Elia also rank among the league's top shot-blockers, further solidifying RMU's defensive presence.

 
ALL-TIME VS. PENN STATE
In their all-time series against Penn State, RMU holds a 24-10-8 record. Last season, the Nittany Lions swept the Colonials at Pegula Ice Arena in the first series of the year. However, when the teams met later in Moon Township, the series featured a thrilling overtime tie and a dramatic 4-3 overtime win, with Janelle Evans netting the decisive goal to secure RMU's conference tournament berth. Evans recorded three goals and an assist over the four games, while Mya Neugent added three goals, and defenseman Thalia D'Elia contributed three assists.
 
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
Penn State (11-3-0, 4-0-0 AHA) enters the series ranked No. 14 in the USCHO poll and riding a five-game win streak. The Nittany Lions are led offensively by Tessa Janecke, last season's AHA Player of the Year, who has 20 points this season, including 12 assists. Maddy Christian leads the team in goals with nine. On defense, Lyndie Lobdell has been a standout with 23 blocked shots, while goaltender Katie DeSa has been a reliable presence in net, earning eight wins with a 1.50 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonials will enjoy a two-week break after this series before heading back on the road to face Syracuse on December 6-7.