Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. - Kelsey Romatoski scored a power play goal in the third period and the No. Harvard University women's hockey team held off Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 2-1 in an ECAC Hockey game at Houston Field House. Harvard improves to 11-1-1 overall and 8-0-0 in the league. The Engineers saw their four-game winning streak snapped and are now 6-12-2 and 4-6-0.

With the score tied, 1-1, Romatoski (Woodbury, MN / Academy of Holy Angels), a defenseman, sent the puck from near the blueline between the circles that found the back of the with the Crimson on the advantage. Hillary Crowe (Eden Prairie, MN / The Blake School) saw her shot stopped but Kaitlin Spurling (Byfield, MA / Noble & Greenough School) pushed the puck out to Romatoski, who scored her fourth of the year.

Rensselaer had opportunities to even the score, including a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:42, but the Crimson's penalty kill, which entered the game having denied 37 of 39 opposition chances (94.9%), was successful. RPI pulled the goalie for an extra skater with 1:08 left in the third period but were unable to tie the game.

After a first period that featured solid offensive opportunities from both sides during sustained action, Harvard took the lead just 2:54 into the second frame. Senior captain Jillian Dempsey (Winthrop, MA / The Rivers School) started the scoring play when she stole the puck from behind the RPI net and fed Kalley Armstrong (Maple, ON / St. Joan of Arc) in the slot. Armstrong one-timed the pass into the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season. For Dempsey, the assist was her 15th and the point her 31st.

RPI freshman Mari Mankey (Coon Rapids, MN / Hopkins High School) tied the score at 16:30 of the second period when her shot from the left side of the goal crease near the goal line slipped under the netminder and across the line. Classmates Jenn Godin (Clarence Center, NY / Tabor Academy) and Alexa Gruschow (Mechanicburgh, PA / Washington Pride) earned the assists on the goal, Mankey's fourth of the season.

Sophomore Kelly O'Brien (Sussex, WI / Madison Capitals) finished with 24 saves for the Engineers, including 12 in the third period. Freshman Emerance Maschmeyer (Bruderheim, AB / Lloydminster) earned the win, stopping 19 shots for Harvard, which extended its unbeaten streak to eight games (7-0-1).

Rensselaer returns to the ice when it hosts Providence College in a pair of non-league games next weekend, while Harvard hosts ECAC Hockey foe Princeton University on Friday at 7pm.