Box Score / Post-Game Comments / Highlights

TROY, N.Y. – Powered by a four-goal second period, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team defeated Yale University, 4-2 in ECAC Hockey play at the Houston Field House.  The win moved the Engineers to 6-15-4 overall and 3-8-2 in the conference, while the Bulldogs slipped to 1-18-0 and 1-11-0 in ECAC Hockey.
 
After a scoreless opening period, Yale jumped out to an early lead, scoring just 1:19 into the second stanza on a tally by sophomore Jackie Raines (London, ON/London Devilettes).  Rookie Stephanie Mock (Cape Coral, FL/Mid Fairfield Conn. Stars) earned the primary assist on the play as she attempted a wrap-around at the left post, which was saved on a slide by Engineers netminder Brianna Piper (Oakville, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros). The puck came loose to the right circle for Raines, who banged it home for the lead at 1:19.
 
Rensselaer responded minutes later as senior Laura Guillemette (Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, PQ/Notre Dame) tallied her sixth of the season at 5:06.  After a scramble near the RPI bench, the puck came loose to the circle.  Rookie Taylor Mahoney (Cary, IL/Chicago Mission) found it and skated toward the net, taking a shot from the far circle that rebounded out to Guillemette at the near side.
 
The Engineers made it a 2-1 game at the 11:46 mark as senior Jill Vandegrift (St. Paul, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) poked in the rebound of an Eleeza Cox (St. Catharines, ON/Ridley College) shot at the left post. Junior Taylor Horton (St. Thomas, ON/Bluewater Jr. Hawks) was credited with the second assist.
 
Rensselaer continued to gain momentum late in the period and pushed the advantage to 3-1 at 16:36 on a strong individual effort from senior captain Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride).  In the Yale zone, senior goalie Genny Ladiges (Almonte, ON/Ottawa Jr. Capitals) attempted to clear the puck, but Harrison was quick to intercept and wrapped it around and into the net for her eighth of the season.
 
Sophomore winger Jordan Smelker (Anchorage, AK/Team Alaska 19U) capped the scoring for RPI with three seconds left as she picked up a loose puck and fired a shot from the slot on an angle, that sailed low into the right corner past Ladiges.
 
Yale attempted to pull back into the frame in the final period and was able to make it a 4-2 contest at 9:20 when Raines netted her second of the contest.  Off a pass from the far point, the sophomore fired a shot through traffic that went past Piper.
 
Despite pulling Ladiges, the Bulldogs could not get any closer as they fended off a strong RPI attack at the empty-net with a number of blocked shots.
 
Piper finished with 18 saves to move to 3-6-3 on the season for RPI, while Ladiges stopped 40 shots for Yale.  In addition to 14 saves in the first period, the Bulldogs goalie stopped 24 shots in the second and six in the third.
 
The Engineers are back on the ice on Saturday when they host Brown at 4pm.  Yale heads to Schenectady to face Union, also at 4pm.