ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's hockey team completed the weekend series with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Engineers 3-1 at the Gene Polisseni Center. With the loss, the Tigers fall to 1-3-0 on the season, while the Engineers improve to 2-2-0.
Shots were 23-21 in favor of RIT. The Tigers went 1-for-3 on the power play, while holding RPI to one goal in four power play chances.
Kandice Sheriff (Brampton, Ontario) scored RIT's goal, the first of her collegiate career while
Carly Payerl (Kitchener, Ontario/Resurrection Catholic) and
Brooke Baker (Saline, MI/Saline) each had an assist.
Jetta Rackleff (Bend, OR/Summit) got the start in net for the Tigers, taking the loss and making 18 saves.
Alexa Gruschow led the Engineers with a pair of goals. Katie Rooney scored the other RPI goal, while Laura Horwood, Whitney Renn, Jenn Godin and Lauren Wash each had an assist. Sara Till got the start in net, picking up her first win of the season, making 22 saves.
"I thought we had a strong start," said
Scott McDonald, Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach. "But, we need to be more consistent. We need more than one good period."
RIT scored the opening goal of the game when Sheriff tallied a power play goal at 7:15 of the first on assists from Payerl and Baker. Both Payerl and Sheriff had whacks at a loose puck in front after an incredible save by Till. Sheriff was on the doorstep to jam in the loose puck for her first collegiate tally.
Just 42 seconds later, Rensselaer tied the score at 1-1 when Rooney intercepted a break out pass by the Tigers and broke in alone on Rackleff. Rooney got Rackleff to move and she scored in the open net.
Gruschow scored the first of her two goals at 3:44 of the second period off an assist from Godin. She started the play with a good hard shot that Rackleff was able to save. The rebound came to Gruschow who tapped home the puck for her second of the season.
RIT put the Rensselaer defense under pressure late in the second period. The Tigers kept cycling the puck around the back of the RPI net, working the puck into a good shot from in front from
Jess Paton (Woodstock, Ontario/Waterloo K-W Rangers). Till was right there to make the stop and keep it a one-goal game.
Rensselaer made it 3-1 on Gruschow's second goal of the game at 6:48 of the third period. With the Engineers on the power play, Gruschow took a pass from Wash and beat Rackleff for her third goal of the season.
RIT fired 11 shots in the third period to try and get back into the game, but could not beat Till and Engineers defense.
"We picked it up in the third period," said McDonald. "It was too little too late. We have to learn to play the whole 60 minutes."
RIT falls to 12-8-4 all time to Rensselaer. The Tigers return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 21 when RIT opens up College Hockey America play at Syracuse. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. in Syracuse, N.Y. It is a rematch of the 2015 CHA Championship, won by RIT in double overtime.
