ERIE, Pa. – The RPI women's hockey team opened its 2026-27 season with a 3-1 setback against Mercyhurst on Friday evening at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Engineers erased an early deficit with a second-period goal from
Naomi Forand before the Lakers scored twice in the third period to secure the victory.
Mercyhurst opened the scoring less than three minutes into the contest when Kate Donegan finished a setup from Regina Metzler and Holly VanNetten. RPI kept the deficit at one through the remainder of the opening period, as
Reese Keating turned aside 14 shots in the frame.
The Engineers pulled even midway through the second period behind Forand's first goal of the season.
Georgia Bailey and
Mia Montanari helped create the chance before Forand finished to make it a 1-1 game.
RPI generated 10 shots on goal in the middle stanza, while Keating stopped all 13 attempts she faced to send the contest into the second intermission deadlocked.
Mercyhurst regained the lead in the third when Julia Perjus scored the eventual game-winning goal off assists from Sofia Nuutinen and Mariia Polozkova. The Lakers later added a power-play tally from Metzler to extend the advantage to 3-1.
RPI continued to press late, pulling Keating for the extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining and putting several attempts toward the Mercyhurst net in the closing moments. Keating finished the evening with 38 saves, while the Engineers totaled 19 shots on goal.
