Women's Hockey | 11/15/2008 5:15:00 PM
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PINE VALLEY, NY - Senior forward and co-captain
#Dayna Birch (Abbotsford, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers)# (Abbotsford, British Columbia) scored a short-handed goal, RIT's second of the game, with 4:53 left in regulation, lifting the #5 Tigers (3-1-1, 2-1-1 ECAC West) to a 3-3 tie against #1 Elmira (5-0-1, 3-0-1 ECAC West) at the Murray Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
Birch scored her third goal of the season, and second shorthanded tally, as she stole an Elmira clearing pass and put a shot past goaltender Allison Cubberley.
Senior goaltender
#Sandra Grant (Abbotsford, British Columbia/Pacific Steelers)# (Abbotsford, British Columbia) was phenomenal in net for the Tigers, making a career-high 51 saves, including 21 in the first period, when RIT was out-shot 22-9.
Overall, Elmira out-shot RIT 54-37. The Soaring Eagles went 2-for-11 on the power-play, while holding the Tigers scoreless in 10 attempts of their own with the man-advantage. RIT had to kill off over a minute of a 5-on-3 Elmira power-play late in regulation. RIT had a power-play to end regulation and two in overtime, but could not push across the game-winning goal.
Sophomore forward
#Sarah Dagg (St. George, Ontario/Hamilton Hawks)# (St. George, Ontario) gave RIT a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal late in the first period.
#Shireen Irani (Calgary, Alberta/PSA Chaos)# (Calgary, Alberta) assisted on the goal.
RIT now has five short-handed goals in five games this season. They set the school record of 12 short-handed goals last season.
Freshman forward
#Ali Hills (Honeoye Falls, NY)# (Honeoye Falls, NY) scored her first collegiate goal 35 seconds into the third period to tie the game at 2. She took a feed from Dagg and ripped a shot into the top corner of the net.
Irani was on the ice for all three RIT goals. She was a plus-3 on the afternoon.
#Erica Owczarczak (West Seneca, NY/Buffalo Bisons)# (West Seneca, NY) and Dagg were both plus-2. Dagg had a goal and an assist to lead RIT.
Jamie Huntley scored twice for Elmira. She recorded a hat-trick in Friday's game. Lauryn DePaul also scored for the Soaring Eagles. Cubberley made 34 saves.
The Tigers played much harder on Saturday after falling to the Soaring Eagles, 6-1 on Friday evening. Elmira now leads the all-time series between the two schools, 7-2-1. It is the first time RIT has earned a point in Elmira.
The Tigers are back in action on Friday and Saturday, as they travel to face first-year program and new ECAC West rival SUNY Potsdam for a pair of games. Friday's contest starts at 7 p.m., while Saturday's contest begins at 3 p.m.
