MANKATO, Minn. – The RPI women's hockey team jumped out to a two-goal first-period lead and later battled back to tie the game in the third, but Minnesota State answered with the eventual game-winner before adding an empty-net tally to earn a 5-3 victory over the Engineers this afternoon.
RPI wasted little time getting on the board, capitalizing on its first power-play opportunity of the afternoon.
Keira Johnson finished a setup from
Mia Montanari and
Claire Jelinek to give the Engineers a 1-0 advantage.
Georgia Bailey doubled the lead shortly thereafter, scoring off a feed from Montanari for her first goal of the season. Minnesota State answered later in the period on a goal from Zoe Lopez, but RPI carried a 2-1 advantage into the first intermission.
The Mavericks drew even midway through the second period when Mercury Bischoff converted on the power play. RPI had an opportunity to regain the lead with a power play of its own later in the frame, but Minnesota State kept the Engineers off the board before Bischoff struck again to give the hosts a 3-2 advantage entering the third.
RPI responded less than seven minutes into the final period, as
Gracyn Mackay found the back of the net off an assist from
Barbora Cerna-Proskova to pull the Engineers even at 3-3. Minnesota State answered less than two minutes later, however, with Lopez scoring her second goal of the game to restore the Mavericks' one-goal advantage.
The Engineers continued to press for the equalizer, generating several chances during a power play and putting sustained pressure on the Minnesota State net through the middle stages of the third. RPI pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker in the closing minutes before Lucie Tenenbaum scored into the empty net to account for the final margin.
Sadie Bellissimo finished with 22 saves in his first career game for RPI, including 11 in the opening period.
