ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Senior
Alexa Gruschow scored two goals including the game-winner to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team to a 3-1 victory and a series sweep at the Gene Polisseni Center. With the win, the Engineers improve to 2-2 overall, while the Tigers drop to 1-3.
The Tigers went 1-for-3 on the power play, while holding RPI to one goal in four power play chances. Carly Payerl scored RIT's goal, while Kandice Sheriff and Brooke Baker each had an assist. Jetta Rackleff got the start in net for the Tigers, taking the loss and making 18 saves.
Alexa Gruschow led the Engineers with a pair of goals.
Katie Rooney scored the other RPI goal, while
Laura Horwood,
Whitney Renn,
Jenn Godin and
Lauren Wash each had an assist.
Sara Till got the start in net and made 22 saves for her first collegiate win.
RIT scored the opening goal of the game when Payerl tallied a power play goal at 7:15 of the first on assists from Sheriff and Baker.
Just 42 seconds later, Rensselaer tied the score at 1-1 when Rooney intercepted a break out pass by the Tigers and broke in alone on Rackleff. Rooney got Rackleff to move and she scored in the open net.
Gruschow scored the first of her two goals at 3:44 of the second period off an assist from Godin. She started the play with a good hard shot that Rackleff was able to save. The rebound came to Gruschow who tapped home the puck for her second of the season.
RIT put the Rensselaer defense under pressure late in the second period. The Tigers kept cycling the puck around the back of the RPI net, working the puck into a good shot from in front from Jess Paton (Woodstock, Ontario/Waterloo K-W Rangers). Till was right there to make the stop and keep it a one-goal game.
Rensselaer made it 3-1 on Gruschow's second goal of the game at 6:48 of the third period. With the Engineers on the power play, Gruschow took a pass from Wash and beat Rackleff for her third goal of the season.
RIT fired 11 shots in the third period to try and get back into the game, but could not beat Till and Engineers defense.
RIT opens up College Hockey America play at Syracuse. Puck drop is at 7pm. The Engineers host Robert Morris for a two-game series next weekend, beginning on Friday at 7pm.
