Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Behind a goal and assist each from junior Allison Wright and rookie Alisa Harrison, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team defeated Clarkson University, 2-1, in ECAC Hockey action on Friday. The win brings the Engineers to 12-9-3 overall and 7-4-2 in conference play. The Golden Knights are now 12-8-4 and 6-4-2 in ECAC Hockey.

This marks RPI's first win over Clarkson since January 20, 2007 when the Engineers picked up a 4-3 victory in Potsdam. It is also the first time in seven meetings that Rensselaer has claimed victory over the Golden Knights on its home ice.

Skating through a scoreless first period, the Engineers built up a 2-0 lead behind early goals from Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice) and Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride).

Wright got things going just 48 seconds into the second stanza when she wristed a pass from rookie Sierra Vadner (Apple Valley, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) over the shoulder of Knights goalie Lauren Dahm (Baldwinsville, NY/Syracuse Under-19) from the middle of the slot for her fifth of the season. Vadner and Harrison assisted on the tally.

Less than eight minutes later, RPI gained a two-goal advantage after Harrison banged home her own rebound in front at 7:46. Collecting the puck from Wright, who was at the top of the slot, Harrison skated through the right circle and took the shot on Dahm. She was unable to control the rebound as the puck came loose and slid underneath her for the tally. Junior Whitney Naslund (Bloomington, MN/Bloomington Jefferson) was credited with the secondary assist.

The Golden Knights, who held a slim 8-7 lead in shots in the final frame, lit the lamp at the 3:36 mark as sophomore Melissa Waldie (Newmarket, ON/Aurora Panthers) re-directed a shot past RPI goalie Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) for a power play tally. Junior Genevieve Lavoie (Delson, PQ/St. Laurent College), who took the initial shot, was credited with the lone assist.

Clarkson tried to pull things even late in the game, pulling Dahm in favor of the extra-attacker for the final 1:24, but the Engineers held strong. Rensselaer blocked four shots during that span as van der Bliek was forced to make just one save.

Between the pipes, van der Bliek stopped 28 of 29 shots, including 10 in the first period and 11 in the second. Her counterpart, Dahm recorded 24 saves in the contest, including 11 in the second stanza.

Rensselaer is back on the ice tomorrow afternoon when it hosts 4th-ranked St. Lawrence at the Houston Field House at 4pm. The Golden Knights head to Schenectady for a 4pm face-off against Union.