Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Despite scoring the game's first three goals, the Rensselaer women's hockey team could not hold on, dropping a 5-3 decision to #10 Harvard at Bright Hockey Center on Saturday.  The Crimson, who battled back from the early deficit with three third period goals, improve to 11-5-1 overall and 8-3-1 in conference play.  The Engineers slip to 5-15-4 and 2-8-2 in ECAC Hockey.

The Engineers broke out onto the scoreboard in the opening stanza as senior Laura Guillemette tallied at the 4:38 mark off assists from junior Taylor Horton and rookie Kathryn Schilter.  RPI carried its lead into the second stanza and added on at 12:05 as senior Sierra Vadner connected off a pass from sophomore Jordan Smelker.

Senior Jill Vandegrift, who assisted on the second goal, made it a 3-0 game just 1:02 later after she jammed in a shot past netminder Laura Bellamy at 13:07.  Smelker and rookie Eleeza Cox were credited with the assists.

The Crimson offense quickly came alive nearing the end of the stanza as Jillian Dempsey pushed one past RPI goalie Brianna Piper at 16:31, while Gina McDonald netted a power play marker just over a minute later to cut the Harvard deficit to 3-2 heading into the second intermission.

In the final stanza, Harvard made it a 3-all game at the 7:35 mark as Kalley Armstrong scored.  McDonald netted her second of the game at 9:28 to make it a 4-3 advantage for the homestanding Crimson and recorded the hat trick late in the period as she scored an empty net tally.

Bellamy picked up the victory for Harvard, making 15 saves.  Piper suffered the loss, stopping 29 shots.

The Engineers return to action next weekend, hosting Yale and Brown on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (4pm), respectively.