TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team generated sustained offensive pressure throughout but could not find the back of the net today, falling 3–0 to Syracuse University this afternoon at Houston Field House.
Goaltender
Reese Keating made 25 saves for the Engineers, who matched the Orange in both special-teams opportunities and blocked 10 total shots in a hard-fought defensive effort.
Syracuse opened the scoring early in the first period and carried a 1–0 lead into intermission. The Engineers regrouped in the second with their strongest stretch of play, outshooting the visitors 8–7 while controlling long stretches of possession behind the forechecking work of
Mia Montanari,
Charlotte Wensley, and
Georgia Bailey.
RPI generated multiple scoring chances midway through the frame, including a post hit by Bailey at 8:56 and a series of rebounds off shots from
Kendal Davidson and
Taryn Rathwell, but Syracuse goaltender Ava Drabyk turned aside each attempt.
Keating was sharp between the pipes, denying several high-danger looks during Syracuse's two power plays and keeping the Engineers within striking distance through 40 minutes. The senior netminder made 10 saves in the opening period and eight more in the second, helping RPI kill off both Orange power plays without a goal.
In the third, Davidson and
Sophia Jones anchored the defensive effort with two blocked shots each, while
Aylah Cioffi and
Michaela Littlewood combined for five hits and effective clears on the penalty kill.
In the faceoff circle,
Sabrina Beaudoin and Bailey were again dominant, combining for a 20–12 advantage as RPI finished with a 23–16 edge at the dot.
Syracuse added two goals in the third period—including an empty-net tally late—to seal the result. Emma Gnade recorded all three goals for the Orange, while Peyton Armstrong and Jocelyn Fiala each collected two assists.
The Engineers next begin a four-game road trip sandwiched around the holiday break, beginning with a 6:00 pm date at Dartmouth on Friday.
