TROY, N.Y. – Senior captain Cayley Mercer netted a pair of goals to lead the third-ranked Clarkson University women's hockey team to a 4-2 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Friday night at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Golden Knights improve to 19-4-4 (13-1-1 ECAC Hockey), while the Engineers drop to 9-16-2 (6-8-1 ECAC Hockey).

A scoreless opening period saw RPI sophomore goaltender Lovisa Selander turn away all 14 shots she faced, while Clarkson junior Shea Tiley (Owen Sound, ON/KWRangers) had nine stops in the first.

Rensselaer sophomore Jaimie Grigsby (Whitby, ON/Whitby Wolves) nearly gave the hosts the lead, 7:30 into the second, but her shorthanded breakaway was stymied by Tiley.

Sophomore Loren Gabel (Kitchener, ON/Oakville Jr. Hornets) broke the tie at 10:01, tapping home the rebound of a shot by classmate Cassidy Vinkle (Belleville, ON/Whitby Jr. Wolves). Junior Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, IL/Boston Shamrocks) picked up the secondary assist.

Clarkson capitalized on a power play chance less than two minutes later for a 2-0 lead. Mercer (Exeter, ON/Bluewater Jr. Hawks) snapped home her 16th goal of the year off of a one-time feed from classmate Genevieve Bannon (Candiac, PQ/Ontario Hockey Academy).

The Engineers roared back to tie the game, starting with senior captain Lindsey Hylwa (Cary, NC/Gilmore Academy) jamming home her first of the year to draw within 2-1. Junior Marisa Raspa (Downington, PA/North American Hockey Academy) delivered a saucer pass to senior Katie Rooney (Buffalo, MN/Buffalo High School), who had her attempt stopped by Tiley. Hylwa crashed the net and swept in the rebound.

Freshman Blake Orosz (Chase Mills, NY/Nepean Wildcats) brought the hosts even at 17:43, firing a shot into the top left corner for her second goal of the year. Juniors Shayna Tomlinson (Gilford, NH/Assabet Valley) and Whitney Renn (Troy, MI/Little Caesars) earned the assists.

The Golden Knights regained the lead (3-2) with just 13 seconds left in the second, thanks to Gabel's second of the period and 11th of the season. The tally, which turned out to be the game-winner, was set up by sophomores Rhyen McGill (Whitby, ON/Whitby Jr. Wolves) and Emma Keenan (Calgary, AB/Okanagan Hockey Academy).

Mercer added an insurance goal at 10:10 of the third – her team-leading 17th of the year.

Tiley (16-4-4) finished with 20 saves, while Selander (9-14-2) had 37, including 13 in the second and 10 in the third. The Golden Knights finished 1 for 5 on the power play, while the Engineers were 0 for 4.

The Engineers return to action tomorrow afternoon, when they host No. 5 St. Lawrence University (3pm). Clarkson visits Union tomorrow (3pm).