DURHAM, NH - Sophomore forward #Jess Paton (Woodstock, Ontario/Waterloo K-W Rangers)# scored with 8:21 left in regulation to snap a 2-2 tie and lift the RIT women's hockey team (1-1-0) to its first victory of the 2013-14 season, 3-2 at the University of New Hampshire (1-2-0) at the Whittlemore Center on Friday evening.

Paton was the beneficiary of great cycling by #Erin Zach (Elmira, Ontario/Cambridge Fury) and Marissa Maugeri (Ajax, Ontario/Durham West Lightning)# in the New Hampshire zone. Zach and Maugeri worked the puck behind the net. Maugeri took a shot that goaltender Jean Marie-Eve stopped, but Paton was there to slam in a rebound for her first tally of the season.

RIT's defense was stout over the final eight minutes, allowing very little in the way of quality scoring chances. The Tigers ended the game on the power-play.

Paton, #Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)#, and #Cassie Clayton (Pickering, Ontario/PEAC School)# scored for RIT. Clayton's goal was the first of her collegiate career. Heather Kashman and Nicole Gifford scored for the Wildcats.

RIT goaltender #Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs)# was strong in net, stopping 30-of-32 shots to record her first win of the season. She stopped 25 shots over the first two periods. New Hampshire's Marie-Eve made 16 saves in defeat.

New Hampshire out-shot RIT 32-19, although the Tigers held an 11-5 edge over the final 20 minutes. RIT was 1-for-5 with the man-advantage, while New Hampshire was 1-for-4.

RIT Head Coach #Scott McDonald# was very happy with tonight's outcome.

"Once we got settled in the bigger (Olympic) ice sheet, we were very good," said McDonald. "Our defense did a great job containing them to the outside and limiting their grade A chances. Ali (Binnington) smothered everything in net and we capitalized on our chances. It was a great team effort, a great way to rebound after last weekend's rough start."

RIT scored two goals in a span of 1:45 midway through the first period to grab the quick 2-0 lead.

Kunichika recorded her first goal of the season 7:25 into the contest, corraling a loose puck behind the New Hampshire net and stuffing it over the goal line for her first tally of the season. The play was reviewed and it was determined that the puck went over the line.

Clayton potted her first collegiate goal just three seconds into a power-play 1:45 later to make it 2-0 Tigers. #Dakota Waites (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair)# won the draw and charged towards the New Hampshire net. She put a shot on goal that was stopped, but Clayton was right on the doorstep to slam in the rebound. The assist was Waites' first collegiate point.

Gifford got New Hampshire on the board with 2:56 left in the period. Kashman redirected a point shot from Jess Ryan 14:14 into the second period, on the power-play to even the game at 2-2.

It is RIT's first ever win over the Wildcats, who won the previous 13 meetings between the two schools. Tonight's contest was the first between the two schools since Dec. 3, 1994.

"we showed tonight that even though we are a young teram, we can compete when we want to," said McDonald. "It was a great boost to to be able to get stronger as the game went on and close out a game with a late lead."

The Tigers are right back in action on Saturday with a tough road test at No. 10 Northeastern University. The contest gets underway at 3 p.m.