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TROY, N.Y. - Graduate student Meg Colitz and sophomore Sophie Hager combined for 10 points to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team to a 12-8 victory over SUNY Oneonta, this afternoon at Renwyck Field. With the win, the Engineers improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Red Dragons drop to 0-1.

Colitz (East Greenwich, RI/LaSalle Institute) recorded four goals and an assist, while Hager (Northport, NY/Northport) had one goal and four assists. Senior netminder Erin Amarello (Griswold, CT/St. Bernard School) had 12 saves, including 10 in the second half to help preserve the victory. She held the Red Dragons to just 1 of 8 shooting from the eight-meter arc. RPI was 1 of 2. 

Rensselaer used a 6-0 run late in the first half to turn a tie game (3-3) into a 9-3 lead at halftime. Colitz did all of her damage in the opening stanza, while senior Erin Riley (West Nyack, NY/Clarkstown South) chipped in with two tallies in the first 30 minutes. The Red Dragons saw junior Catherine Clark (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills) net two first-half goals, while freshman Taylor Casey (Garden City South, NY/Kellenberg Memorial) scored her first collegiate goal and added an assist.

The Engineers pushed their lead to 11-3, less than seven minutes into the second half, thanks to markers from senior Jamie Wakefield (Windsor, CT/Windsor) and freshman Morgan Doyle (Syracuse, NY/Corcoran). Wakefield's goal was set up by a brilliant pass from behind the net by Hager, while Doyle first collegiate tally was assisted on by junior Mackenzie O'Neil (Duxbury, MA/Milton Academy).

Oneonta then mounted a late come back, scoring four straight goals to draw within 11-7, with 4:47 to play. Senior Jillian Donodeo (Holbrook, NY/Sachem East) was the catalyst, registering two goals and an assist, including the helper on Clark's run-capping third goal of the game.

Less than a minute later, RPI received a much-need answer, as O'Neil struck with an unassisted tally to make it 12-7. Casey picked up her second of the game, with 2:35 left, to close out the scoring for the Red Dragons.

Freshman Autumn Moore (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) made six saves for Oneonta, which out-shot the Engineers 26-23 on the day. Rensselaer held a 12-10 edge in draw controls a 36-34 advantage on ground balls.

The Engineers are back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to 10th-ranked Middlebury (5pm). Oneonta takes on third-ranked Gettysburg College on Tueday in Clermont, Fla. (6pm).