Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Syracuse University capitalized on a five-minute major to start the third period, scoring three unanswered goals enroute to a 4-3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in non-conference action at the Houston Field House. The Orange complete the two-game sweep and improve to 3-4-1 overall. The Engineers drop to 2-4-2 on the season.

Rensselaer held a 2-1 lead after the first two periods, but a pair of penalties as time expired gave the visitors a 5 on 3 advantage to start the third. Seniors Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice) and Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary's) were both called for infractions, but Weidner's penalty was called as a five-minute major and a game disqualification.

Using the power play to its advantage, the Orange wasted little time in evening things up as freshman Isabel Menard (Ottawa, ON/Ottawa Senators Club Team) scored off a pass from captain Julie Rising (Millbrae, CA/Bemidji State) just 37 seconds into the final period.

Syracuse found the back of the net less than a minute later as rookie Kelsey Welch (East Amherst, NY/Buffalo Bisons) scored at 1:31 in front off assists from Brittaney Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, AB/St. Lawrence) and Menard.

Rookie Jessica Sorensen (Ingersoll, ON/KW Rangers) then tallied the eventual game-winner at 3:56, rifling a shot past RPI netminder Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) for the 4-2 lead.

The Engineers would pull to within a goal with 59 seconds remaining the contest after Wright scored her first of the season with the extra-attacker advantage. Pulling van der Bliek, Rensselaer swarmed the net, using a 6 on 4 edge to get the goal. RPI would pull their goalie once more in the final 49 seconds, but it wasn't enough.

Rensselaer struck first to open the game as junior Sydney O'Keefe (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake) re-directed in a shot from the point at 4:41 of the first period. She was assisted by sophomores Katie Daniels (Rockton, IL/Chicago Young Americans) and Amanda Castignetti (Anchorage, AK/Shattuck St. Mary's).

Syracuse made it a 1-1 game at 14:26 of the second after Rising tipped in a shot from the low slot off a pass from Maschmeyer and junior Stephanie Marty (Nussbaumen, Switzerland/UNH). 

Rensselaer rookie Taylor Horton (St. Thomas, ON/Bluewater Hawks) then gave the home team a 2-1 lead with under a minute to play in the middle stanza, deflecting a shot in front into the net off a shot by senior Laura Gersten (Queensbury, NY/Troy-Albany Ice Cats).

The Engineers, which saw van der Bliek make 16 saves, held a 24-20 edge in shots. The Orange got a 21-stop effort from senior Lucy Schoedel (Ithaca, NY/UNH) in the victory.

The Engineers return to action next weekend as they open their ECAC Hockey schedule on the road at Princeton and Quinnipiac on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (4pm), respectively. Syracuse is idle next weekend, but is back on the ice on November 6-7 hosting CHA rival Niagara for two games.