Box Score / Video

TROY, N.Y. – Powered by a multiple-point effort from five different scorers, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's ice hockey team completed a two-game sweep of Niagara University with a 5-1 victory on Saturday at the Houston Field House. The Engineers improve to 3-4 overall while the Purple Eagles fall to 0-8.

Niagara jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead as senior Melanie Mills (Flamorough, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) capitalized on an RPI miscue in front of the net for a goal just 58 seconds into the contest. With the Engineers defense holding the puck behind the net, Mills knocked the stick of a defender and pushed it in underneath goalie Ashley Mayr (Burnaby, BC/BC Breakers).

Rensselaer answered near the end of the frame as junior left wing Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary's) tallied her third goal of the season at 15:30. Senior Nicole McDonald (Ottawa, ON/Ottawa Raiders) earned the primary assist after she slid in the slot on the right side and passed it to Weidner for the quick wrister over the stick of Purple Eagles netminder Jill Zelonis (Ashburn, VA/Washington Pride). Sophomore center Kendra Dunlop (Granum, AB/Warner Hockey School) was also credited with an assist.

In the second period, the momentum shifted in favor of the homestanding Engineers, who tallied two goals just over three minutes apart for a 3-1 advantage. Junior winger Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice) broke the 1-1 tie at 11:31 after her shot from the bottom of the right circle sailed over the right shoulder of Zelonis. Classmate Whitney Naslund (Bloomington, MN/Bloomington Jefferson), who dropped the pass back to Wright and rookie center Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride) were awarded the assists on the goal.

Junior defenseman Laura Gersten (Queensbury, NY/Troy-Albany Ice Cats) then made it a two-goal advantage at the 14:38 mark with her first tally of the season. Weidner earned the lone assist after passing the puck from the right corner to Gersten in the slot, who roped a shot into the upper left corner of the net.

Rensselaer continued to dominate in the third period, adding two goals, while outshooting Niagara, 12-3. Naslund made it a three-goal cushion for RPI after she slid through the slot and backhanded a shot over the shoulder of Zelonis just 46 seconds into the period. McDonald capped the scoring at the 11:21 mark after her shot slipped in under the Purple Eagles goalie from the right side.

In goal, Mayr stopped 13 shots to improve to 1-1-0 on the season for RPI, which held a 36-14 shot advantage in the game. Her counterpart, Zelonis made 31 saves and falls to 0-1-0.

The Engineers return to action next weekend when they open their ECAC Hockey schedule on Friday and Saturday against Brown and Yale, respectively. Both contests will begin at 3pm. Live statistics will once again be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/rpi/whockey/. Niagara also returns to the ice next weekend when it hosts Clarkson on Friday and Saturday.