MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – In an offensive showcase backed by Maggie Hatch's sixth shutout of the season, the RMU women's hockey team completed a season sweep of Delaware with a 6-0 victory at Clearview Arena. With the win, the Colonials improve to 12-18-2 overall and 8-12-2 in Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) play.
 
FIRST PERIOD
RMU set the tone early, applying consistent pressure and controlling possession from the opening faceoff. The breakthrough came midway through the period when Kaitlyn Schooley buried a perfectly placed shot to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead in her 100th career game. Jessica MacKinnon and Shayne Desjardins each earned assists on the opening goal.
 
The Colonials continued to dictate play, successfully killing off both Delaware power plays in the period while outshooting the Blue Hens 11-4. RMU carried the one-goal advantage into the first intermission.
 
SECOND PERIOD
Early in the middle frame, RMU was assessed a five-minute major penalty, but the Colonials responded with a strong defensive effort, killing it off without allowing a goal. That momentum quickly swung to the offensive end.
 
MacKinnon stripped the puck from a Delaware defenseman and circled the offensive zone before driving to the net. Alaina Giampietro followed the play and hammered home the rebound for her first goal of the afternoon.
 
Just one shift later, Giampietro struck again, finishing a backdoor feed from MacKinnon to extend the lead to 3-0. Morgan Giannone picked up the secondary assist on the play.
 
RMU wasn't done in the period. On a later power play, Giannone cleaned up a rebound after the Colonials cycled the puck effectively in the offensive zone. MacKinnon and Emma Goding were credited with assists as RMU took a commanding 4-0 lead into the final intermission.
 
THIRD PERIOD
The Colonials continued to pour it on in the third period. Catriona Crarer made it 5-0 with her third goal of the season, tipping in a point shot from Thalia D'Elia. Goding earned the secondary assist.
 
Minutes later, Laura Eustace capped the scoring in her 100th career game. Freshman Hannah Thornton recorded her first collegiate point with the primary assist, while Calli Arnold added the secondary helper.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• RMU outshot Delaware 40-22, with Giampietro leading all skaters with six shots on goal.
• 15 Colonials finished with a positive plus/minus rating. Giannone, Goding and MacKinnon each posted a team-best +3.
• RMU won 35 of 57 faceoffs (61.4%). MacKinnon led the team with 13 faceoff wins, while Crarer went 12-for-14 (85.7%).
• The Colonials blocked 15 shots, with Arnold and Mya Kearns recording three blocks apiece.
• On special teams, RMU finished 1-for-3 on the power play and killed off all three Delaware power-play opportunities.

 
PROGRAM RECORD TIED
With 22 saves, Maggie Hatch recorded her sixth shutout of the season, tying the program record for shutouts in a single season. Elijah Milne-Price first achieved the mark during the 2017-18 campaign.
Hatch has now recorded shutouts against Delaware (2x), LIU (2x), Lindenwood and Syracuse this season. Her nine career shutouts rank second in program history, trailing only Jessica Dodds' program record of 14 from 2013-17.
 
CAREER-HIGH
Jessica MacKinnon dished out a career-high four assists, surpassing her previous mark of three. Earlier this season against LIU, she totaled a career-high five points (two goals, three assists). MacKinnon has now recorded 10 multi-point games this season.
 
In four games against Delaware this year, the Clarks Harbour, Nova Scotia native produced four goals, eight assists and 12 points.
 
MULTI-POINT EFFORTS
Captain Alaina Giampietro finished with two goals for her seventh career two-goal game and 14th multi-point performance. In 31 games this season, she has totaled 14 goals, seven assists and 21 points. For her career, Giampietro owns 36 goals, 24 assists and 60 points in 76 games.
 
Senior Morgan Giannone recorded a goal and an assist for the second straight game, marking her seventh multi-point outing of the season and 17th of her career. She now has 12 goals, 14 assists and 26 points this season, along with 65 career points (31 goals, 34 assists).
 
Defenseman Emma Goding posted two assists for her first multi-point game of the season and second of her career. She now has 10 points this season (three goals, seven assists) and 18 career points.
 
FIRST CAREER POINT
Hannah Thornton registered the first point of her collegiate career with an assist on RMU's sixth goal. In 26 career games, the Brooklin, Ontario native has recorded 22 shots and seven blocked shots.
 
AHA STANDINGS
Following the sweep, RMU remains in sixth place in the AHA standings with 27 conference points, trailing Lindenwood (30), Syracuse (31) and RIT (32). The Colonials will close the regular season with a weekend series against Lindenwood and have the opportunity to climb as high as third in the standings.
 
UP NEXT
RMU will host Lindenwood for a two-game series at Clearview Arena. Game one is scheduled for Friday, February 13 at 7:00 PM, followed by game two on Saturday, February 14 at 1:00 PM.
 
Friday's contest will feature the Teddy Bear Toss and Skate with the Colonials postgame, while Saturday is Senior Day with a pregame ceremony honoring RMU's seniors. Both games will stream live on SportsNet Pittsburgh and FloHockey.
 
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