TROY, N.Y. – Freshman goaltender Lovisa Selander stopped all 20 shots she faced to help the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team to a 2-0 victory over Brown University, on Saturday at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Engineers improve to 5-9-2 overall (3-4-1 ECAC Hockey), while the Bears drop to 3-9-0 (1-5-0 ECAC Hockey).

Selander made six saves in the first period, eight in the second and five in the third for the shutout. Her counterpart, Brown junior Monica Elvin (Oakland, CA/Oakland Technical), finished with 32 stops at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers broke onto the scoreboard at 5:08 of the first period, when senior Alexa Gruschow (Mechanicburgh, PA/Washington Pride) walked the puck out from the left circle and rifled a shot into the top right corner of the net. The tally, which was her team-leading ninth of the year, was unassisted.

Both teams had opportunities throughout the scoreless second period, but the game remained 1-0 after two, with RPI holding a 25-14 edge in shots.

RPI picked up a 5-on-3 power play chance for over a minute, early in the third, but were unable to convert. The Bears then had a two-man advantage for 45 seconds, but could not find a way past Selander and the Engineers defense.

Freshman Makenna Thomas (Hartland, WI/Chicago Young Americans) sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute. Assists on her first collegiate goal went to senior Mari Mankey (Hopkins, MN/Hopkins High School) and sophomore Amanda Kimmerle (Anoka, MN/Anoka High School).

Both teams finished 0 for 2 on the power play.

FIRST SHUTOUT:
RPI freshman Lovisa Selander made 20 saves to earn her first collegiate shutout on Saturday against Brown.

FIRST GOAL:                                                                              
Makenna Thomas recorded her first collegiate goal – an empty-netter with 55 seconds left, to close out the win for the Engineers.

WINLESS STREAK SNAPPED:
RPI broke a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) with its shutout victory over the Bears.

UP NEXT:
The Engineers are idle until January 2 and 3, when they travel to Mercyhurst for a two-game series.
Brown visits Princeton and Quinnipiac on January 2 and 3.