BURLINGTON, Vt., - Despite two goals from Brooke Thompson (Rochester, NY/Rochester Edge), the Vermont Catamounts defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 4-3, in non-conference women’s hockey action at Gutterson Fieldhouse.  With the victory the Catamounts improve to 3-21-2 overall, while the Engineers are now 13-5-2 on the season.

The Engineers jumped out to a 1-0 lead mid-way through the first period, when Thompson tallied her fifth goal of the season.  Taking advantage of a scramble in front of the net, the sophomore forward tucked the puck in on the right side between the goalie and the pipe for the score.  Senior forwards Kari Rabatin (Brookhaven, NY/Tabor Academy) and Jennifer Onksen (Germantown, MD/Washington Little Caps) were credited with the assists.

Vermont battled back late in the stanza when freshman Danielle Ramirez (Anaheim, CA/Orange Coast) scored on the power play.  Ramirez collected a pass from senior Caitlin Barnes (Norwalk, CT/The Gunnery) at the point, shooting the puck through traffic to beat Rensselaer goaltender Ashley Mayr (Burnaby, BC/BC Breakers) at 17:13.

Rensselaer came out firing in the second stanza, tallying two goals within 30 seconds to take a 3-1 lead.  Freshman Jaime Jacquard-Sowa (North Vancouver, BC/BC Breakers) scored her third goal of the season off a Laura Menken (Meadowbrook, PA/Culver Academy) shot.  Menken started the play, skating in alone on Vermont goaltender Jenilee Roy (Sandown, NH/Brooks School), her shot rebounded out to Jacquard-Sowa who swept the puck over the shoulder of Roy at 5:31.  Sophomore Ellen McNamara (Macomb, MI/Little Caesars U 19) set up the Engineers' third goal, catching the puck off the face-off, before passing it up to a speeding Thompson, who buried the shot into the net from the right circle.

The Catamounts kept up the pressure mid-way through the period, pulling to within a goal at 13:43 when sophomore Caroline Donahue (Westwood, MA/Pomfret School) skated through the slot, to beat Mayr between the pads.  The Engineers would take the 3-2 lead into the second intermission despite being outshot 9-6.

In the third period, senior Abbey Kaknes (St. Charles, IL/St. Charles East) tied the game at 3-3, finding the back of the net through traffic in front.  Mayr stopped the initial shot from freshman Jessica Murphy (Shoreview, MN/Hill-Murray School), but was unable to control the loose puck which trickled out to Kaknes for the goal.  Lindsey Tilbury (Rochester, MN/Shattuck-St. Mary’s) would add the game-winner for the Catamounts mid-way through the stanza for the victory.

Roy finished with 17 saves in the win for Vermont, while Mayr stopped 25 in the Rensselaer goal.

The Engineers return to action this weekend for a two-game series against Sacred Heart on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (3pm).  Vermont also returns to the ice this weekend when it travels to Providence for a pair of Hockey East games.