ERIE, Pa. – Vanessa Upson scored 56 seconds into overtime to lead the Mercyhurst University women's hockey team to a 2-1 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), on Friday night at Mercyhurst Ice Center. With the win, the Lakers improve to 2-0, while the Engineers drop to 0-1.

After RPI took early possession of the puck in the overtime frame, Upson led a rush the other way, before deking her way past an Engineers defender and scoring her second goal of the season, before a minute had run off the clock. K.K. Thiessen and Alexa Vasko picked up the helpers on the game-winning tally.

In the first period, RPI sophomore Nyah Philip turned in the best chance for either team, when she forced a turnover in the attacking zone, but her shot was stopped by Mercyhurst goaltender Ena Nystrom with under three minutes to play in the stanza.

Both teams had power play chances in the first, but neither were able to convert, with the Engineers holding an 11-4 edge in shots through the first 20 minutes.

Mercyhurst looked to have scored with 7:33 left in the second period, but a slashing penalty was called against the hosts prior to the puck finding the RPI net.

Following two unsuccessful Lakers power plays in the second period, the Engineers converted on a man advantage of their own with 6:45 to go in the second. Reina Jahnke found Marah Wagner for a one-timer at the right side of the net for her first RPI goal for a 1-0 lead.

Junior netminder Amanda Rampado was forced to make 11 saves in the second, including a right pad stop on a quick shot from the slot with two minutes left in the period.

The Lakers drew even at 4:01 of the third, when Emily Pinto stuck home a rebound for her first goal of the season. A lone assist was credited to Sarah Nelles.

Rampado made one of her biggest saves in the contest with nine minutes left in regulation and the Engineers on a penalty kill. She gloved a shot from the left side of the zone, keeping the score at 1-1.

Nystrom (1-0) made 19 saves for her first collegiate win, while Rampado (0-1-0) had 37 stops, including 21 in the third period alone.

Both teams are back in action tomorrow afternoon, for game two of the weekend series. Puck drop is scheduled for 2pm.