Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Despite a three-goal effort in the third period, including two by senior captain Melissa Boik (Allen Park, MI/Michigan Capitals), the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team fell to Harvard University, 5-4, in ECAC Hockey action on Saturday. The Engineers fall to 12-12-3 and 7-7-2 in conference play while the Crimson improve to 10-7-3 overall and 10-4-2 in ECAC Hockey.

Trailing 4-1 at the end of two periods, Rensselaer mounted a comeback, as Boik scored on a slapshot from the far point through traffic just 1:25 into the final frame to cut the lead to 4-2. She was assisted by junior Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary's) and rookie Katie Daniels (Rockton, IL/Chicago Mission).

Harvard rallied to make it a three-goal advantage once more at 3:49 as sophomore Liza Ryabkina (Kharkiv, Ukraine/Berkshire School) scored on a high wrist shot from the middle of the slot over the shoulder of RPI netminder Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros).

Rensselaer refused to back down as junior Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice) corralled a pass from rookie Sierra Vadner (Apple Valley, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) and shot it back door over the reach of Crimson goalie Christina Kessler (Oakville, ON/Oakville Trafalgar) on the power play. Vadner, who was positioned at the far point, and Boik, who sent the puck across from inside the near blueline, were credited with the assists.

As the clock continued to wind down, the Engineers pulled van der Bliek with two minutes remaining in favor of the extra-attacker. Setting up on the face-off, sophomore Kendra Dunlop (Granum, AB/Warner Hockey School) settled the puck and chipped it out to senior Jamie-Lynn Stewart (Cambridge, ON/Cambridge Jr. Fury). She quickly sent the shot up to the near point and Boik ripped the shot through traffic and in to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Harvard, which held a 27-19 advantage in shots for the game, struck first in the opening period as junior Anna McDonald (New Brighton, MN/Totino-Grace) scored unassisted after stealing the puck off the stick of an RPI defender and lifting it top shelf past van der Bliek at 8:22.

Senior captain Sarah Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, PQ/Pomfret School) added a tally at 15:08 and again at 14:17 of the second period to push the Crimson ahead by a score of 4-0 with 5:43 left in the stanza.

RPI rookie Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride) scored her second goal in as many games with 13 seconds left in the second stanza to put the Engineers on the board for their first goal.

Kessler made 15 saves in the win for Harvard while RPI's van der Bliek had 22 stops in the loss. The Engineers went 1 for 6 on the power play and held the Crimson, 0 for 3 on the extra-man advantage.

Rensselaer is back in action next Friday and Saturday at North Country-rivals St. Lawrence (3:30pm) and Clarkson (2pm), respectively. Harvard returns to action on Tuesday against Boston University in the first round of the Beanpot Tournament (5pm).