TROY, N.Y. – Senior Asiah Taylor-Walters collected a goal and an assist to lead another outpouring of offense as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team remains undefeated with a 6-2 victory over the Syracuse Orange Friday night. With the win, RPI moves to 4-0-3 while the Orange fall to 2-3-0 on the season.
 
RPI is now officially off to their best start in program history since the 2005-06 season, when the Engineers went 10 games before a loss. The Engineers have now gone seven games without defeat this season.
 
It was a slow start for both sides in the first period, as it wasn't until the 16:49 mark that RPI broke through with the opening goal. Riena Jahnke scored on a tip in front of the net on an assist from Andrea Trnková and MJ Alexander to give the Engineers a 1-0 lead. Seconds later at the 17:18 mark, Ellie Kaiser then sent one home from Alexander and Marah Wagner to make it 2-0 by the end of the opening period.
 
The second came with a flurry of scores, as Syracuse scored two goals less than a minute apart late in the middle period. Mik Todd scored unassisted at the 15:50 mark before Haidi Knoll then scored at the 16:46 mark on an assist from Marielle McHale to make it 2-2.
 
Before the second period was over, the Engineers broke through with another pair of goals, with Maddy Papineau swatting home a puck in the crease with 17 seconds left in the period to push RPI back ahead 3-2. As the period time ticked down after the ensuing faceoff, Taylor-Walters sped down the right wing boards into the zone, ripped a shot that found the upper part of the net with less than a second remaining to make it 4-2 RPI as the teams went to the locker room.
 
The Engineers didn't stop the scoring in the third period, as Nyah Philip also finished from in close at the 7:06 mark of the final frame to make the score 5-2 RPI as Taylor-Walters and Taryn Rathwell added assists on the play. Sabrina Beaudoin added the final tally at the 12:51 mark, scoring with assists going to Morgann Skoda and Trnkova to make it 6-2 in favor of the Engineers.
 
Goaltender Amanda Rampado was strong in the net for the Engineers, making 21 saves on the night. Syracuse goalie Allie Kelley made 28 stops – with 14 coming in the second period.
 
RPI returns to action tomorrow night, Saturday, October 14 as they make a return trip to Syracuse to face the Orange in the back end of a home-and-home weekend series. Opening faceoff with the Orange is slated for 4 p.m.