Women's Ice Hockey | 11/24/2019 3:11:00 PM

Box Score TROY, N.Y. – Robert Morris University scored three goals in a four minute span in the second period and the Colonials defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 6-1 in a non-league women's hockey game at Houston Field House.
 
Michaela Boyle and Anjelica Diffendal both scored twice, Emily Curlett and Jaycee Gebhard had a goal and an assist each and Lexi Templeman added three assists for RMU, which defeated RPI 3-1 on Saturday. The Colonials have now won six straight games to improve to 8-5-1. The Engineers drop to 0-14-1.
 
Gebhard, a senior, opened the scoring at 12:39 of the first period when she scored a shorthanded goal on a wrist shot from the right faceoff dot. Sara Lacavalier began the play with a pass up the boards from behind her own goal. Gebhard gained possession and skated up the right side before cutting in and sending a shot over goaltender Jenn Gregg's glove-side shoulder.
 
The score remained 1-0 until 11:58 of the second period when Boyle, a sophomore, collected a rebound in front of Gregg and put the puck into the back of the net. Gillian Thompson, who took the initial shot from the blue line, and Templeman had the assists.
 
Curlett, a junior defenseman, made it 3-0 at 13:16 when she scored on a slap shot from the left faceoff dot to finish a well-run Colonials power play. Gebhard had the primary assist after finding her teammate from the high slot and Templeman picked up the secondary. RMU's fourth goal came after Templeman stole the puck in the offensive zone and found Boyle, who skated to the high slot and wristed a shot into the net for her 11th of the season.
 
Diffendal added a goal from the bottom of the right faceoff circle just 1:29 into the third period for a 5-0 lead. The Engineers answered at 4:35 when freshman defenseman Hannah Price intercepted a clearing pass at the right point and scored unassisted from long range for her first career tally. RPI made a strong attempt for a second goal just minutes later with a 2-on-1 break, but RMU's Arielle Desmet made a toe save on a Lauren Severson shot from close range.
 
Diffendal's second of the game on a rebound from the bottom of the right faceoff circle with 3:03 to play finished the scoring. Natalie Marcuzzi and Marah Wagner had the assists. It was the second helper of the game for Wagner.
 
Desmet, a sophomore, finished with 15 saves to improve to 3-3-1. Gregg stopped 23 shots in taking the loss, her first of the season. Amanda Rampado played the third period and had 19 saves.
 
The Engineers return to action on Friday against Bemidji State at the Field House (3pm), while Robert Morris travels to St. Lawrence University for a weekend set beginning on Friday at 4pm.