Box Score / Watch (RPI TV)

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Kelly Steadman scored late in the first period and Mercyhurst College held on for a 1-0 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in front of 400 fans at RPI's Pack the House II Night at the Houston Field House. The Lakers, ranked first nationally in both women's hockey polls, improve to 3-0-0, while the Engineers suffer their first loss of the year and are now 2-1-2.

Both goalies had outstanding efforts as Mercyhurst's Hillary Pattenden (Surrey, BC/Pacific Steelers Midget AAA) and Rensselaer's Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) stopped a combined 54 shots. Pattenden made 23 saves, including seven in the first period, four in the second and 12 in the third, while van der Bliek had 11 stops in the first and 10 in the second and third periods for a game total of 31.

Mercyhurst struck first in the opening stanza on Steadman's (Plattsburgh, NY/Northwood School) tally at 17:41. Off a scramble near the bottom corner of the right circle, rookie Jessica Christofferson (Bemidji, MN/Bemidji Lumberjacks) found the puck and chipped it to the low slot where Steadman lifted it into the open left side of the net.

In the second stanza, both teams saw a number of chances to light the lamp, but solid goaltending kept the game locked at 1-0 in the Lakers' favor.

The Engineers nearly evened the score at the 11:49 mark after senior Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice) intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and broke into the Mercyhurst end. Lakers' freshman Samantha Watt (Cremona, AB/Oval X-Treme) attempted to stop the breakaway and was called for a penalty, but RPI was unable to convert on the power play.

Minutes later, Mercyhurst almost made it a two-goal advantage after a shot from the far point by junior Cassea Schols (Edmonton, AB/Edmonton Chinos) was saved by van der Bliek, but rebounded out to left side and onto the stick of sophomore Pamela Zgoda (Cheektowaga, NY/Nichols School). The RPI goalie was able to adjust and stop the ensuing shot with her blocker to preserve the score.

Despite holding a 12-10 shot advantage in the final period, Rensselaer was unable to capitalize on a number of opportunities, including a behind the back pass from rookie Janessa Haller (Anoka, MN/Anoka) to sophomore Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride), whose shot was glove-saved by Pattenden.

RPI, which fended off six shots in a 5 on 3 disadvantage mid-way through the stanza, tried to pull even late in the game by pulling van der Bliek in favor of the extra-attacker with 46 seconds left, but were unable to gain the equalizer.

Both teams return to action tomorrow afternoon with a 3pm tilt at the Houston Field House.