Box Score Box Score / Photos

TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) field hockey team scored three goals in the first eight minutes of the game and never looked back as they defeated Morrisville State College, 5-3 at Harkness Field on Senior Day.  The Engineers move to 11-4 on the season with the non-conference win and improved their 2011 home record to 9-0.  The visiting Mustangs slip to 1-16 overall.
 
Sophomore Kierstan Ryan (Levittown, PA/Harry S. Truman) got things going early for the homestanding Engineers as she poked in a cross from junior defender Tori Elliott (Hempstead, NH/Pinkerton Academy) at the right corner of the goal at 2:45.
 
Ryan struck again less than two minutes later from nearly the same spot as senior Erika Hawksley (Windsor, ME/Erksine Academy) dribbled the ball up from close range to Ryan, who buried it past netminder Laura Blumenfeld (Rockland, NY/Clarkstown South).  Junior Alissa Peterson (Gaithersburg, MD/Quince Orchard) then built the lead to 3-0 as she fired a shot from eight yards out into the right corner.
 
The Mustangs battled back to make it a one-goal game as sophomore Rebecca Quackenbush (Baker, NY/Baker) scored a pair of tallies within a minute of each other.  After a quick blast past the reach of rookie netminder Hannah Clough (Acton, MA/Acton-Boxborough Regional), Quackenbush found the back of the box once more as she tapped it around the goalie on the right side off a cross from sophomore Brandi Rafalko (Great Meadows, NJ/North Warren) at 24:22.
 
Rensselaer responded quickly as freshman Molly Zuk (Stoughton, MA/Stoughton) netted her first goal of the year at 24:48.  After battling for the ball just outside the circle, the midfielder broke by a defender and shot it in on the left side.  Hawksley brought the advantage back to three (5-2) less than four minutes later as hammered it in on the left side off a corner shot by Elliott.
 
Morrisville State was able to cut the deficit to 5-3 at 45:25 of the contest as junior forward Rebecca Meyer (Morrisville, NY/Morrisville-Eaton) intercepted the ball off an RPI stick and crossed it to rookie Olivia Bridges (Rochester, NY/Brighton), who banked it in past Clough, but the Engineers defense prevailed throughout the remainder of the game.
 
In goal, senior Briana Earle (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) picked up the victory to move to 11-4 on the season.  She was not forced to make any saves.  Clough stopped five shots in 48:14 before giving way to freshman Hannah Nelson (Lee, NH/Oyster River), who had no stops in 3:20 of action. Blumenfeld made seven saves for the Mustangs.
 
The Engineers also honored their senior class prior to today's contest as Hawksley, Earle, Quinn Rapp-Ellis (Macedon, NY/Penfield) and Julie Campbell (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel Area) were recognized.
 
Rensselaer is back in action on Wednesday when it travels to William Smith for one of two semifinal games in the Liberty League Tournament.  Game time is set for 5pm.  Morrisville State wraps up its season on Tuesday at Nazareth (4:30pm). 

For news and updates regarding RPI field hockey, fans can follow Engineers Athletics on Facebook (RPI Athletics) and via Twitter (@rpiathletics).  Photos of Rensselaer student-athletes can be purchased at http://www.rpiathletics.com/photos.