POTSDAM, N.Y. - The third-ranked Clarkson University women's hockey team took Game 1 of the best-of-three ECAC Hockey Quarterfinal series, 4-1, over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) on Friday night at Cheel Arena. With the win, the Golden Knights are 26-4-5, while the Engineers drop to 10-23-2.

Clarkson got on the scoreboard very early in the game. Working the puck into the Rensselaer crease, one of the Engineers cleared the puck away from the goal, but only as far as Corie Jacobson, who lifted a shot into the net to give Clarkson a 1-0 lead, just 65 seconds in.
 
Rensselaer pulled even at 1-1 on the power play, not five minutes later. A Clarkson penalty at 4:49 gave Rensselaer an opportunity and the Engineers took advantage. Freshman Sabrina Repaci able to find the puck on a rebound and tuck it home. The goal came at 6:19 with Blake Orosz and Whitney Renn getting assists.
 
With the score tied at one after the first period, Clarkson used the middle frame to pull away. The Golden Knights regained the lead 4:46 into the period on a goal by Cassidy Vinkle. Michaela Pejzlova started the play by picking up the puck behind Clarkson's blue-line and then taking it all the way to behind the Rensselaer net. Pejzlova dropped a pass back to Vinkle who found space on the left side of the rink and lifted a shot that caught the underside of the crossbar and went in.

The Green and Gold added an insurance goal at 8:17 through co-captain Savannah Harmon. Harmon advanced towards the Rensselaer end and passed forwards to assistant captain Genevieve Bannon. Bannon returned the feed to Harmon who drifted from right to left in the Rensselaer end and then let loose a wrist shot that scored.
 
Clarkson iced the game with an empty net goal at 18:48 in the third period. With the Rensselaer goaltender pulled, the Engineers pushed forward to try to tie the game. However, Jacobson got control of the puck and passed to co-captain Cayley Mercer. Mercer's pass found Loren Gabel all alone behind the Rensselaer defense and Gabel was able to skate in all alone and tap into the empty goal.
 
Clarkson finished with a 43-14 advantage in shots. Renssealer went 1 for 2 on the power-play while Clarkson failed to convert on all four of its extra man opportunities. Shea Tiley made 13 saves for Clarkson while Lovisa Selander had 39 stops for Rensselaer.
 
The two teams will meet for game two in the quarterfinals series at 3pm on Saturday afternoon in Cheel Arena.