ROCHESTER, NY - Sophomore goaltender #Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs)# made 24 saves, including 12 in the final period to record her fifth shutout of the season, as the RIT women's hockey team (12-10-4, 5-3-4 CHA) continued its strong first Division I season, defeating Robert Morris, 2-0 at Ritter Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Binnington wasn't tested a lot over the first half of the game, but had to come big in the final 35 minutes of the contest. Her best save came early in the third period, while RIT was on a power-play, and Thea Imbrogno came darting in on a breakaway for the Colonials. Imbrogno tried to deke Binnington and go high with a backhander, but the RIT goaltender stayed right on it, getting a blocker on the shot to send it over the net.

Robert Morris pressured late with two power-plays in a six-minute span later in the period, but Binnington and the RIT penalty-killing unit did a tremendous job to preserve the shutout. Binnington made a great save of a shot from Imbrogno thorugh traffic, then stuffed Kelsey Thomas on a chance in tight, as RIT improved to 3-0-1 against the Colonials this season.

RIT's defense blocked 14 shots in the third period and 29 overall in the contest.

#Marissa Maugeri (Ajax, Ontario/Durham West Lightning)# scored in the final minute of the first period, and Celste Brown tallied in the final minute of the second period to provide RIT's offense.

Kristen DiCiocco made 24 saves in net for the Colonials, who finished the month of January with a 1-6-1 mark after starting the season 9-3-2.

RIT out-shot Robert Morris 26-24. The Tigers were 1-for-6 with the man-advantage, while Robert Morris was 0-for-6.

RIT Head Coach #Scott McDonald# is very happy with how his team is playing right now.

"It's great that we took 3 of 4 points this weekend and 7 of 8 this year from a very strong Robert Morris team," said McDonald, who has the Tigers rolling with a 6-1-2 mark over their last nine games. "It was a tough, physical weekend, and today, our penalty killing was outstanding, and Ali (Binnington) was great in net. We are peaking at the right time down the stretch in conference play."

RIT scored the lone goal in a hotly contested first period of play, in which each team had three power-plays.

The Tigers ran into penalty problems right away and had to kill off 13 seconds of a 5-on-3, and nearly four minutes of continuous power-play action. Binnington had to make a few big saves early, including a tip in attempt from Thomas.

RIT had a few good chances of its own early on, as #Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)# took a nice feed on a 3-on-2 and looked to have the top corner picked out, but DiCiocco made a strong glove save.

The Tigers got on the board with 56 seconds left in the period, as Maugeri took a feed from #Ariane Yokoyama (Van Nuys, CA/LA Selects)# in the neutral zone, zipped into the Robert Morris zone and fired a perfectly placed wrist shot over the shoulder of DiCiocco for her sixth goal of the year, on the power-play. #Emilee Bulleid (Waterdown, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres)# also assisted on the tally.

RIT used a late goal in the second period to take a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes of play. The Tigers carried play in the period, out-shooting the Colonials, 13-5.

The Tigers enjoyed some great chances in the frame, as #Erin Zach (Elmira, Ontario/Cambridge Fury) had two point-blank chances from the side of the net stuffed by DiCiocco. (Woodstock, Ontario/Waterloo K-W Rangers)Lindsay Grigg (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Hornets)# made a tremendous deke on a Robert Morris defenseman and tried to go high, but DiCiocco smothered the shot.

Robert Morris had its best chance of the period while killing off a Tigers power-play, as Kristen Richards found herself all alone in front of Binnington after a giveaway. Richards tried to deke Binnington, but the RIT goaltender held her position, kicking out her pad to keep it 1-0.

Brown notched her eighth goal of the season with just 20 seconds left in the frame, as #Tenecia Hiller (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Thunder) found Morgan Scoyne (Drumbo, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres)# at the point. Scoyne glided along the blueline and found Brown at the left face-off circle. Brown fired a low, hard wrist shot that eluded DiCiocco to the short side for the big insurance goal.

Binnington improved to 9-5-3 this season with a 1.88 goals against average and .926 save percentage to go along with five shutouts, tied for third nationally. In four games against Robert Morris this season, she is 3-0-1 with a 0.98 goals against average and .964 save percentage. She has allowed just nine goals in her last eight games.

Overall, RIT has allowed just nine goals in its last nine games, out-scoring its opponents, 33-9 over that stretch.

Last night, the two teams skated to a 2-2 draw. Yokoyama and #Carly Payerl (Kitchener, Ontario/Resurrection Catholic)# scored for the Tigers, while Richards and Katelyn Scott had a goal and an assist for the Colonials. On Jan. 4-5, RIT swept the first two games of the season at Robert Morris by identical 2-1 scores. RIT leads the all-time series between the two schools 4-2-1. The two teams met three teams between 2007 and 2008.

The Tigers return to action on Friday and Saturday with a pair of games at CHA foe Lindenwood University. Friday's game starts at 8 p.m. EST, while Saturday's contests starts at 3 p.m. EST.