MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – RMU will play another series in New York this upcoming weekend. This time, in Rochester against RIT. The first game of the series is scheduled for Friday, February 2 at 6:00 PM. The series finale will be played the following day at 1:00 PM. Both games will be streamed on FloHockey.
RMU LATELY
RMU (10-16-0, 7-7-0 #CHA) this past weekend split their series at Syracuse, winning 4-3 (OT) and dropping the second game, 2-1. Overall, the Colonials claimed three out of four wins against the Orange in the regular season. In their Friday night victory, freshman defenseman
Thalia D'Elia sniped in her first career game-winning goal in 3on3 overtime to propel the Colonials to a win on the road. 10 total players registered a point in that game. Forwards
Catriona Crarer and
Courtney Hall each produced a two-point effort, scoring one goal and one assist each. They both dished out the assist to D'Elia on her overtime finish. Crarer now owns two multipoint games in her career and Hall reached eight. After beating Syracuse in overtime, the program officially reached 250 wins. Of those 250 wins, 131 have been conference victories and 131 have been achieved on home ice at Clearview Arena. In game two of the series,
Calli Arnold scored her third goal of the season. Freshman
Alyssa Rasmuson assisted her on the goal, producing her second career point. Heading into the weekend, freshman
Alaina Giampietro is tied fourth in the conference in goals (11),
Chloé Puddifant and
Janelle Evans each with 13 assists are tied fifth and captain
Allyson Hebert is ranked third in blocks (51) with
Wasyn Rice (47) and
Chloé Puddifant (45) right behind her.
ACCOLADES
Against Syracuse, netminder
Maggie Hatch stopped 40+ shots in both games. The most vital part of her play over the weekend was making six saves in overtime to help RMU win on Friday night. The sophomore out of Cleveland Heights, Ohio was named CHA Goaltender of the Week for the first time in her career. On the year, she now owns seven 40+ save performances and 14, 30+ save games. She leads all CHA goaltenders in those categories. Currently, she's ranked third in the conference in save percentage (.925) and is sitting in the top 20 among Division I goaltenders. As January comes to an end, the CHA conference announced monthly awards. Graduate defenseman
Chloé Puddifant was named Defenseman of the Month. In six games, the alternate captain out of Calgary, Alberta handed out four helpers and blocked a conference leading 18 shots throughout the month of January. In total, RMU has been awarded 12 CHA weekly/monthly awards in the 2023-24 campaign.
MILESTONE WATCH
Coming into this weekend, graduate forward
Jersey Phillips is one game away from 100 career games played. This season, she's appeared in all 26 games, producing four goals and three assists, including two game-winners and one shorthanded goal. Previously playing at Mercyhurst University for four years, the Cheektowaga, N.Y. native has collected five goals and 11 assists in her collegiate career. Also, alternate captain
Chloé Puddifant currently sits with 49 assists, making her one away from 50 in her career. Overall, she's played in 141 games posting seven goals and 49 assists totaling 56 points.
RMU LEADERS
Goals:
Alaina Giampietro (11)
Assists:
Chloé Puddifant,
Janelle Evans (13)
Points:
Alaina Giampietro (20)
PPG:
Shailynn Snow (3)
SHG:
Morgan Giannone,
Jersey Phillips (1)
GWG:
Morgan Giannone,
Jersey Phillips,
Alaina Giampietro,
Madison Primeau (2)
Blocks:
Allyson Hebert (51)
SV%:
Maggie Hatch (.925)
ALL-TIME VS. RIT
RMU is 29-12-3 against the Tigers. Throughout the all-time series, the Colonials are averaging 3.25 goals-per-game. From 2016-19, RMU won 12 straight games against the opposing program. Recently, they've won eight of their past nine meetings with RIT. Earlier this season, the Tigers won the first game of the series in Moon Township, 7-3. RMU clawed back to win the second outing, 3-2. Across the two games, forwards
Mya Neugent,
Calli Arnold,
Jersey Phillips and
Shailynn Snow all scored one goal and one assist each. In game two of the set, Phillips scored the game-winning goal, shorthanded, with a little over three minutes left to propel RMU to victory. On the weekend, captain
Wasyn Rice blocked a team-high six shots.
SCOUTING RIT
RIT (11-14-2, 5-9-0 #CHA) returns home after dropping four straight losses on the road. They were swept at Lindenwood 4-2 and 3-2 (OT) and then fell by a score of 4-1 and 5-2 at Mercyhurst. With three series remaining, RIT sits in fifth place in the CHA standings. They're one point behind Lindenwood for a playoff spot in the CHA Tournament. The Tigers goal differential on the season is a -3 (66-69). Junior forward Kylie Aquaro in the conference is currently tied sixth in points (23), tied first in power play goals (5) and tied fourth in assists (15). Defenseman Emma Pickering is also second in the CHA in blocked shots (52).
RIT LEADERS
Goals: Kylie Aquaro, Emma Roland, Nicole Ness (8)
Assists: Kylie Aquaro (15)
Points: Kylie Aquaro (23)
PPG: Kylie Aquaro (5)
SHG: 0
GWG: Kylie Aquaro, Jaidan Fahrny, Athena Vasdani (2)
Blocks: Emma Pickering (52)
SV%: Sophia Bellina (.931)
RMU AND RIT COMMON OPPONENTS
Besides conference members of the CHA, both programs in the 2023-24 campaign have faced Union. The Tigers swept them, winning 4-1 and 2-1. The Colonials fell in their season opener at Union, 5-2, but took down the Garnet Chargers the following day, 3-2 to win their first game of the year.
UP NEXT
After the Colonials visit RIT, RMU will return home to face Penn State for their final home series of the season. The two-game set is scheduled for February 9-10. Friday night's contest will be RMU Women's Hockey's Pink Game. The first 500 fans will receive a pink headband sponsored by UPMC. Saturday's meeting will be Senior Day.
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