TROY, N.Y.  – Senior Sydney O'Keefe scored with 12 seconds left in regulation to force overtime and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team skated to a 3-3 draw against Union College in ECAC Hockey action on Saturday. With the tie, the Engineers move to 6-7-6 and 4-3-1 in conference play. The Dutchwomen are now 1-12-2 on the season and 0-6-2 in ECAC Hockey.

The contest also marks the first tie between the two programs since January 4, 2008 - a 4-4 draw in Schenectady.  RPI is 21-2-3 in the all-time series, including an 8-0-2 record since the Engineers joined ECAC Hockey in 2006-07.  Additionally, the draw for Rensselaer ties the program record set last season.

Facing a 3-2 deficit with minutes left in regulation, RPI pulled netminder Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) with 1:23 left on the clock in favor of the extra-attacker. Despite pressure in the zone from Union, the Engineers were able to convert for the equalizer as junior Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride) won the face-off and chipped the puck back to sophomore Taylor Horton (St. Thomas, ON/Bluewater Jr. Hawks).

She tipped it to O'Keefe (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake), who quickly sent a backhanded shot toward the net, which sailed into the low left corner to tie things up. Neither team could capitalize in the final seconds and would not put any shots on in the five minutes of overtime.

Rensselaer came out dominant from the opening face-off, but could not cash in until the second period as they built a 2-0 lead within the first four minutes of the middle stanza. Rookie Toni Sanders (York, PA/Susquehanna Rapids 19U) got things going with her second goal in as many games when she found the puck in a scramble in front and buried it past Union netminder Kate Gallagher (Minneapolis, MN/Blake School) at 2:38.

The Engineers pushed it to a two-goal advantage just 43 seconds later as freshman Nona Letuligasenoa (Fairbanks, AK/North American Hockey Academy) scored her first career goal at 3:21. Harrison collected the puck at the near boards and turned, finding a speeding Letuligasenoa, who banged home the goal.

Union made the change between the pipes as sophomore Alana Marcinko (Altoona, PA/Gilmour Academy) came on in relief of Gallagher, who made 15 saves.

The Dutchwomen came alive soon after as sophomore Emma Rambo (Joliet, IL/Joliet Catholic Academy) found the rebound of an Emilie Arseneault (Rothesay, NB/Brewster Academy) and buried it past van der Bliek at 10:32.

Junior Dania Simmonds (Aurora, ON/Toronto Aeros) tied it at 2-all at 11:08 of the third and senior Callee Heywood (Innisfail, AB/AM College of Notre Dame) gave the visitors their first lead of the game at 18:01. 

In the RPI net, van der Bliek finished with 15 saves, while Marcinko made 25 stops in relief of Gallagher.

The Engineers concluded the 2010 portion of their season with today's contest. RPI is back on the ice on January 7, when it opens a four-game homestand against Dartmouth (7pm) at the Houston Field House. Union is back on the ice on Wednesday, hosting the University of Connecticut at Messa Rink (7pm).