ONEONTA, N.Y. - Senior Nicole Zimmer and sophomore Sabrina Torcellini combined for 10 points to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team to a 13-11 victory over SUNY Oneonta, on Saturday afternoon at Reg Dragon Field. With the win, the Engineers open the season at 1-0, while the Red Dragons are 0-1.

RPI got off to a hot start, scoring twice in the opening 1:02 of the game. Freshman Megan Shay wasted little time scoring her first collegiate goal 22 seconds into the contest, after Torcellini came away with the opening draw.

After Sophia Calabrese got the hosts on the board, the Engineers answered with tallies from Torcellini and Zimmer to open up a 4-1 advantage, not even four minutes into the contest.

Back-to-back goals got the Red Dragons back to within 4-3, which was as close as they got the rest of the afternoon.

A 5-0 run that spanned nearly six minutes gave RPI a 9-3 lead with 15:30 left in the first half. Zimmer netted three of the goals, including a man-up tally, which drew an assist from Liz Brady. Freshman Rylie Maready capped the run with her first goal in Cherry & White.

Oneonta the closed out the half with a 3-0 run of its own to make it 9-6 after 30 minutes of play.

Maready and Torcellini opened the second with two early goals to open up an 11-6 advantage. Brady picked up her third assist of the game on the Torcellini's third goal.

The Red Dragons' lone man-up tally with 23:24 to play was followed by goals from Zimmer and Torcellini give RPI a 13-7 cushion with 21:32 on the clock. 

Three goals from Oneonta in a span of 1:32 made it a 13-10 game with 17:23 to go in the game, but the Engineers tightened up defensively the rest of the way, allowing just one goal with 1:33 left.

Zimmer paced the Engineers with five goals an assist for six points, while Torcellini had four goals. Brady dished out three assists, with Maready scoring twice and sophomore Alli McLaughlin adding two helpers. Oneonta saw Lily Avazis post five points on two goals and three assists, with Calabrese scoring two goals with one assist.

Senior Maya Manchester picked up the win between the pipes, stopping nine shots for the Engineers. Lexi Keen turned away 12 in defeat.

RPI is back in action on March 9, when it takes on the University of Northwestern (MN) in Hilton Head, S.C. (9:30am). The Red Dragons visit Farmingdale University on February 29 (1pm).