MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Powered by goaltender
Maggie Hatch's fourth shutout of the season, the RMU women's hockey team earned a 2-0 victory over LIU in the series opener Friday night at Clearview Arena. With the win, the Colonials improved to 9-12-2 on the season.
FIRST PERIOD
Both teams were held scoreless through the opening 20 minutes, but RMU controlled much of the play.
The Colonials generated sustained offensive pressure and outshot the Sharks 13-6 in the frame. The period was played entirely at even strength, as neither side committed a penalty.
SECOND PERIOD
RMU broke through early in the second period as the Colonials' top line connected to open the scoring.
Morgan Giannone worked the puck behind the net and found
Jessica MacKinnon, who quickly fed captain
Alaina Giampietro in front. Giampietro collected the pass and finished on her backhand to give RMU a 1-0 advantage.
The Colonials doubled their lead just minutes later with a strong rush through the neutral zone.
Rowyn Ringor started the play with a pass to
Mary Snyder entering the offensive zone. Snyder then laid the puck off to
Taylor Storey, who made a move around a defender and snapped a shot past the LIU goaltender to make it 2-0.
RMU continued to dictate the pace in the middle frame, outshooting LIU 13-8 and limiting quality scoring chances as Hatch remained steady in net.
THIRD PERIOD
LIU pushed back in the final period, matching RMU with 12 shots on goal, but the Colonials' defensive effort held firm. RMU blocked lanes, won key battles, and limited rebounds to preserve the shutout, sealing the program's fifth shutout victory of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- RMU finished with a 38-26 edge in shots on goal, with Storey leading the Colonials by firing six shots on net.
- Giampietro's tally stood as the game-winning goal, marking her first of the season and the fifth of her career.
- Defensively, Linnea Misner and Mya Kearns each posted a team-best plus/minus rating of +2, while Kearns led all players with four blocked shots as part of RMU's 24 total blocks.
- The Colonials also found success in the faceoff circle, winning 22 of 42 draws (52.4%). MacKinnon delivered one of her strongest performances at the dot, winning 13 of 14 faceoffs (92.9%).
- Special teams were largely absent from the contest, as RMU did not commit a penalty—marking the first time the Colonials have gone penalty-free since February 25, 2024, at Mercyhurst.
ANOTHER SHUTOUT
Hatch turned aside all 26 shots she faced to record her fourth shutout of the season and seventh of her career. With the performance, she is now tied for third-most shutouts in program history (7) and third-most in a single season (4). Hatch also picked up her seventh win of the season and the 23rd of her career.
UP NEXT
RMU will conclude the two-game series against LIU on Saturday, December 13, with puck drop scheduled for 3:00 PM at Clearview Arena. The game will stream live on FloHockey.
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