CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Despite taking an early 1-0 lead, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team surrendered three unanswered goals in a 3-1 loss to the Harvard Crimson on the road. With the loss, RPI falls to 6-18-1 overall and 2-11-1 in ECAC Hockey, while Harvard improves to 6-11-3 and 5-7-3 in ECAC Hockey play.
 
The Crimson and the Engineers flew through the first period, playing the period in only 28 minutes of real time. However, it was Taylor Zahirnyi who collected the first goal of the game, skating from coast to coast and ripping a wrist shot from inside the blue line that gave the Engineers a 1-0 lead 11:23 into the first period.
 
Before the end of the first period, Harvard evened the score at one after Anne Bloomer scored her ninth goal of the year. Bloomer's shot from the blue line was deflected and the bouncing puck found its way past the RPI netminder Amanda Rampado to tie the game 1-1.
 
Gabi Davidson Adams scored the go-ahead goal for Harvard midway through the second period after carrying the puck through the neutral zone and eventually sticking a shot in the back of the net. Bloomer and Kyra Willoughby had the assists on the goal.
 
Looking to even the score, RPI pulled Rampado for an extra skater at the 16:25 mark of the third period. Harvard would immediately take advantage, as Shannon Hollands would slap the puck away 20 seconds later at mid-ice and the puck would find its way into the back of the net, giving Harvard a 3-1 lead and securing the win.
 
Harvard goaltender Alex Pellicci made 39 total saves in the game, while Rampado added 27 to her resume on the night.
 
The Engineers return to the ice tomorrow, Saturday, January 21 at 3 p.m. when they head to the Granite State to take on Dartmouth.