ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's hockey team (4-4-2, 1-2-2 CHA) earned a hard-fought 2-2 tie against College Hockey America foe Syracuse (5-5-1, 2-1-1 CHA) in front of 608 fans at Ritter Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The game was tied at 1-1 until late in the third period, when #Carly Payerl (Kitchener, Ontario/Resurrection Catholic)# stole the puck from a Syracuse defenseman in front of the goal and roofed a backhand over the glove of Syracuse goaltender Jenesica Drinkwater with 4:23 left in regulation.

The Orange received a power-play a minute later and capitalized, as the Tigers couldn't clear the puck. Akane Hosoyamada fired a shot from the high slot that got through traffic and eluded RIT goaltender #Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs)# off the post and in with 3:00 left in regulation to tie the game.

RIT was awarded a power-play in overtime and had three great chances to score but could not get the game-winner. Syracuse also had its best chance on that same RIT power-play, as Binnington made her biggest save of the game on Emily Auerbacher on a partial breakaway.

After Binnington's save, #Lindsay Grigg (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Hornets)# fired a shot from the point that Drinkwater stopped, but the rebound came to #Erin Zach (Elmira, Ontario/Cambridge Fury)# who was robbed in tight. Off the next whistle, Grigg wristed a floater from the blue line that eluded everyone, including Drinkwater, but clanged off the left post and out.

RIT out-shot Syracuse, 38-24. The Tigers were 2-for-6 with the man-advantage, while Syracuse was 1-for-5.

Payerl and #Kim Schlattman (Stratford, Ontario/Cambridge Fury)# scored for the Tigers. In net, Binnington was strong, stopping 22 shots to be named the game's second star.

Hosoyamada and Allie Lacombe tallied for Syracuse. In net, Drinkwater was excellent, stopping 36-of-38 shots to be named the game's first star.

The Tigers at times dominated the opening period, out-shooting Syracuse, 11-7, but the Orange tallied the lone goal of the frame.

RIT jumped on Syracuse right away, firing the first six shots of the game. Drinkwater had to be sharp early and she was, stopping #Kim Schlattman (Stratford, Ontario/Cambridge Fury)# from point-blank range at the left face-off circle. Her best save came moments later, when she robbed #Katie Hubert (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas)# on a point-blank chance in tight.

The Orange got on the board at the 7:02 mark, on their first shot of the game, as a centering pass to the front of the net by Julie Knerr went off the skate of Lacombe and past Binnington.

Binnington was tested later in the period and stood her ground. The goaltender's best save came on a slapshot by Jacquie Greco late in the period.

Both teams held the advantage in play in spurts during the second period. The Tigers scored the equalizer to tie the game after 40 minutes of play.

Schlattman scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season, on the power-play at the 7:17 mark to tie the game. #Ariane Yokoyama (Van Nuys, CA/LA Selects) passed the puck to (Woodstock, Ontario/Waterloo K-W Rangers)Kristina Moss (Webster, NY/Buffalo Bisons)# in the neutral zone, then Moss one-touched a pass to Schlattman. With a head of steam, Schlattman darted in on the left wing and fired a shot from the face-off circle that just squeezed in off the post and past Drinkwater for the goal.

From there, the goalies took over in the period, both making a myriad of saves to keep the game tied.

Drinkwater robbed Hiller, #Melissa Bromley (Aurora, Ontario/Aurora Panthers)#, and #Marissa Maugeri (Ajax, Ontario/Durham West Lightning)# on the door step later in the period, as Kourtney Kuncihika set up the latter two chances with great vision to find both players in front.

Binnington robbed Nicole Ferrara in front on a point-blank chance after RIT failed to clear the puck out of the zone on several chances late in the period.

Last night, RIT lost to Colgate on the road by a score of 2-1. Hubert scored RIT's lone goal, while #Laura Chamberlain (Norco, CA/LA Selects)# made 29 saves.

Today's meeting was the first ever between the two schools, who are in the CHA. The two teams meet again next on Nov. 20 in Syracuse, then play a home-and-home against each other on Feb. 8-9.

RIT is back in action on Friday and Saturday, when they travel to play Brown of the ECAC. Friday's game is at 7 p.m., while Saturday's is at 3 p.m.