TROY, N.Y. – For the second game in a row, junior netminder Jessica Dodds was the difference, stopping 34 of the 35 shots she faced in a 3-1 victory for the Robert Morris University women's hockey team over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Colonials improve to 4-3-1 overall, while the Engineers drop to 1-3.

RPI freshman Taylor Schwalbe (Anchorage, AK/Shattuck St. Mary's) opened the scoring just 35 seconds into the game, tapping in a close-range shot off a feed from junior Laura Horwood (Belleville, ON/Durham West Lightning). Hannah Behounek (Minnetonka, MN/Minnetonka) picked up the secondary assist.

Robert Morris answered quickly on the rush, as junior Mackenzie Johnston (Barre, ON/Etobicoke Dolphins) picked out the top left corner on a snap shot from the middle of the slot. The unassisted tally was her second of the weekend.

The Colonials took the lead for good at 11:33 of the opening stanza. Freshman Amber Rennie (Saskatoon, SK/Notre Dame Hounds) finished from just outside the crease on a 5-on-3 power play opportunity for her fifth of the year. Classmate Sarah Quaranta (Niagara Falls, ON/Stoney Creek Jr. Sabres) made the final pass in front of the RPI goal.

Just over a minute after taking the lead, RMU freshman Kirsten Welsh (Blackstock, ON/Whitby Jr. Wolves) fired in a shot from the blue line for a 3-1. Once again on the power play, Welsh was found at the left point by defensive partner Katherine Murphy (CARY, NC/North American Hockey Academy) for the one-timer.

RPI senior goaltender Sara Till (Jericho, VT/Rice Academy) made eight saves before getting relieved by freshman Lovisa Selander (Sollentuna, Sweden/SDE Riksserien), who stopped all 20 shots she faced.

The Engineers threatened to climb back into the game, but each time were denied by Dodds, who had 11 saves in the second period and 14 in the third. RPI pulled Selander for an extra attacker with 3:10 to go, but still couldn't find a way past Dodds.

FIRST SHOT:
Each team scored on its first shot of the game. Taylor Schwalbe bulged the net 35 seconds into the contest, before Mackenzie Johnston tallied 1:27 in.

TOUGH NUT TO CRACK:
Robert Morris goalie Jessica Dodds gave up a goal on the first shot she faced on Saturday, before stopping the next 34, giving her 73 saves on the weekend.

SPECIAL TEAMS DIFFERENCE:
The Colonials were 2 for 5 on the power play, while the Engineers went 0 for 6.

UP NEXT:
RPI is off next weekend, but returns to the ice on October 30 and 31, when it travels to Cornell and Colgate, respectively, to open ECAC Hockey play.
Robert Morris is also idle next week and is back in action on October 30 and 31, when it hosts Syracuse for a two-game set.