TROY, N.Y. – Junior Ella Graff scored six times, and assisted on two goals for eight total points as she helped the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team to a 16-11 victory in their 2024 season opener against SUNY Oneonta at ECAV Stadium Tuesday evening.
 
RPI opened fast, pulling out to a 5-1 lead in the opening 11 minutes of the game. Both Graff and Audrey Silverman combined for the opening five, with Graff collecting her hat trick with 6:46 left in the first quarter. Oneonta added a goal before the end of the frame as RPI held the 5-2 lead after the first 15 minutes.
 
Oneonta fought back in the second quarter, surrendering just two goals to the Engineers while planting up four on the scoreboard to pull within one heading into halftime, 7-6. Each goaltender made five saves in the first half, while the Engineers had four shots hit posts.
 
The Red Dragons evened up the score early in the third quarter, as Paige Wilkinson connected on the free position to even the score at 7-7. However less than a minute later, Graff and Silverman connected once again with Graff scoring her fifth of the game to put RPI up 8-7. From that point, the Engineers ran off a 5-0 run and extended their lead to 12-7. Oneonta scored once more before the end of the quarter, as the score stood 12-8 entering the fourth.
 
In the fourth, the Engineers continued to outpace the Red Dragons, as RPI held the lead through the final whistle for the win.
 
Backing up Graff's effort was a six-point game from freshman Audrey Silverman. In her collegiate debut, Silverman scored three times and assisted on three goals for a six-point game, while Gabbie Valle also scored a hat trick as well. In goal, Jenny Canfield made 11 saves for the Engineers.
 
For Oneonta, Cassidy Moore led the way with four goals and an assist while Marissa Evans scored twice and dished two assists.
 
RPI returns to action on Tuesday, March 5 at 10 PM eastern as the Engineers take on Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont, California.