ROCHESTER, NY – Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy) scored a first period power-play goal and goaltender Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs) stopped all 22 shots she faced for her 13th career shutout, as the RIT women's hockey team (14-15-3, 9-7-2 CHA) hung on to defeat No. 9 Robert Morris (22-7-3, 11-5-2 CHA) 1-0 at Ritter Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Brown fired a shot through a screen past Robert Morris at the 11:06 mark of the first period from the high slot for the game's lone goal for her 10th tally of the season. Taylor Thurston (Kanata, Ontario/All Saints Catholic) and Marissa Maugeri (Ajax, Ontario/Durham West Lightning) assisted on the goal.

RIT's defense did a sensational job all game, blocking a season-high 38 shots, while killing off all nine Robert Morris power-play attempts. Junior defenseman Lindsay Grigg (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Hornets) blocked a team-high eight shots, while Taylor Thurston (Kanata, Ontario/All Saints Catholic) and Morgan Scoyne (Drumbo, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres) combined for nine blocks.

Overall, Robert Morris out-shot RIT, 22-20. The Tigers held Robert Morris to just eight shots on goal over the first two periods of play.

Binnington saved her best for the third period, stopping 14 of her 22 shots, while RIT had to kill off five Robert Morris power-plays, including a full two minute 5-on-3 with 16:05 remaining. Her best save came in the final 12 seconds, as she robbed Brittany Howard on a point-blank backhand attempt from right in the slot. The puck dropped into the crease, but she was able to keep it out of the net to secure the win.

Binnington is now 10-9-2 with a 1.99 goals against average and .934 save percentage, and five shut outs this season. Her 13 career shut outs are second most in RIT's storied history.

Robert Morris was 0-for-9 with the man-advantage, while RIT was 1-for-7. The Tigers had 1:51 of a two-man advantage that overlapped the end of the second and start of the third period that the Colonials did an excellent job killing off.

"I thought we had a really solid, concrete effort the entire game," said RIT head coach Scott McDonald. "After yesterday's inconsistent effort, I was very happy with the way we responded and how everyone contributed. Ali (Binnington) was unbelievable in the third and showed why she is one of the best goaltenders in the country."

The win ensures that RIT will host a College Hockey America First Round best-of-three series at Ritter Arena from Feb. 28-March 2. RIT can finish no worse than fourth in the league standings.

Today's game was the fourth and final regular season meeting between the two schools this season, with the Colonials winning the season series, 3-1-0. Earlier in the season, Robert Morris won a pair of home games against RIT, winning 2-1 on Dec. 6 and 4-2 on Dec. 7. Last night, Rebecca Vint scored a third period shorthanded goal to lift Robert Morris to a 2-1 win.

The all-time series between the two schools is knotted at 5-5-1. The Tigers are now 3-1-1 all-time against the Colonials at Ritter Arena. That win was RIT's second over a ranked opponent in two seasons of Division I play. On Nov. 22, RIT defeated then No. 10 Mercyhurst, 2-1.

The Tigers wrap up the 2013-14 regular season next weekend with a home and home against CHA rival Syracuse University. On Friday, the two teams meet at Ritter Arena, starting at 7:05 p.m. and on Saturday play in Syracuse at 4 p.m. Syracuse is currently third in the CHA standings with 21 points, one ahead of RIT.

Friday's home game will be the last regular season game at Ritter Arena. The Tigers move into the 4,200-seat Gene Polisseni Center in time for the 2014-15 season.