TROY, N.Y. – Sophomores Makenna Thomas and Jaimie Grigsby combined for five points to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team to a 4-3 victory over Brown University, on Friday night at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Engineers improve to 6-14-1 overall (3-6-0 ECAC Hockey), while the Bears drop to 3-13-0 (1-8-0 ECAC Hockey).

Grigsby (Whitby, ON/Whitby Wolves) registered three assists in the game, including the primary helper on junior Whitney Renn's (Troy, MI/Little Caesars) eventual game-winning tally, which came with 3:34 remaining in regulation. Freshman Blake Orosz (Chase Mills, NY/Nepean Wildcats) also picked an assist on the go-ahead tally.

Brown opened the scoring 8:33 of the first period, when sophomore Jenna Hewitt-Kenda (Vancouver, BC/Seycove Secondary) netted her first collegiate goal. Juniors Cynthia Kyin (Stokie, IL/Niles West) and Samantha Swanstrom (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine High School) had the assists.

Rensselaer drew even at 18:55 of the second on junior Marisa Raspa's (Downington, PA/North American Hockey Academy) second of the season. Freshman Megan Hayes (Hartford, VT/North American Hockey Academy) threw the puck towards the net from the right circle and Raspa was there to tap it home. Senior blueliner Amanda Kimmerle (Anoka, MN/Anoka High School) worked the puck up the boards from the right point to start the play.

Less than a minute later, Thomas (Hartland, WI/Chicago Young Americans) gave the Engineers the lead (2-1), scoring on a breakaway at 19:48. Grigsby earned the lone helper on Thomas' first of two on the night.

Junior Katie Swanstrom (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine High School) brought the visitors even (2-2) at 3:47 of the third. Assists on her first goal of the year went to freshmen Sena Hanson (New Brighton, MN/St. Paul Academy) and Lucinda Quigley (Newton, MA/Noble and Greenough).

A power play goal from Thomas – her seventh of the season – gave RPI back the lead at 3-2. Gathering the rebound of a shot by Renn, Thomas flipped the puck into an open net at 7:13 of the third period. Grigsby earned the secondary assist.

The Bears pulled even (3-3) at 12:16, thanks to Samantha Swanstrom's third tally of the season. Hanson got the puck to the net, before Swanstrom slapped in across the goal line from close range. Sophomore Leah Olson (Harwich, MA/Middlesex School) also had an assist on the man advantage tally.

Sophomore goaltender Lovisa Selander (Sollentuna, Sweden/SDE Riksserien) made 16 saves for Rensselaer, while senior Monica Elvin (Oakland, CA/Oakland Technical) had 38 stops at the other end of the ice.

The Engineers return to action tomorrow afternoon, when they host Yale University (3pm). Brown visits Union College tomorrow (3pm).