TROY, N.Y. – The RPI women's hockey team received goals from
Keira Johnson and
Mia Montanari and twice pulled within one, but Robert Morris held off the Engineers for a 4-2 victory this afternoon at Houston Field House.
Robert Morris opened the scoring on the power play just over two minutes into the contest when Jessica MacKinnon converted off a feed from Greta Brezenski. MacKinnon struck again midway through the opening period, finishing a setup from Alaina Giampietro and Brezenski to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage entering the first intermission.
RPI cut the deficit in half early in the second period after drawing a power play. Johnson found the back of the net off assists from Montanari and
Gracyn Mackay, trimming the Robert Morris lead to 2-1. The tally marked Johnson's second goal of the season.
The Engineers continued to generate chances throughout the middle frame, but Robert Morris restored its two-goal advantage late in the period when Giampietro scored off assists from Kaitlyn Schooley and Brezenski to send RPI into the second intermission trailing 3-1.
RPI answered again early in the third behind Montanari, who scored an unassisted goal to bring the Engineers within 3-2. RPI continued to press for the equalizer, including a power-play opportunity midway through the period that produced chances from Mackay and
Kaylynn Fisher, but Robert Morris kept the one-goal edge intact.
The Engineers pulled
Reese Keating for the extra attacker with just under two minutes remaining before Brezenski scored into the empty net in the closing seconds to account for the final margin. Keating finished with 29 saves, including 15 in the second period, while Montanari led RPI with five shots on goal and finished with a goal and an assist.
Georgia Bailey won a team-high 14 faceoffs for the Engineers.
