ERIE, PA -- Sophomore goaltender Taylor Liotta (Mississauga, Ontario/Oakville Hornets) won her first collegiate game, while sophomore forward Hana Solinger (Chatsworth, Ontario/Cambridge Rivulettes) tallied her first collegiate goal as the RIT (1-3-0, 1-3-0 CHA) women's hockey team defeated Mercyhurst University (2-1-0, 2-1-0 CHA) 1-0 Wednesday afternoon. The win is the first for the Tigers over the Lakers since January, 2019.

Liotta made a career-best 38 saves and picked up her first collegiate shutout, while Holinger's goal with :24 seconds to play in the second period proved to be the game-winner. Juniors Taylor Sims (Deep River, Ontario/Ottawa Lady Senators) and Abby Davies (Ashton, Ontario/Ottawa Lady Senators) each had assists.

Shots were 42-22 in favor of Mercyhurst. RIT went 0-for-6 on the power play, while the Lakers went 0-for-4. RIT took four penalties for eight minutes, while Mercyhurst took six penalties for 12 minutes. The Tigers blocked 22 shots.

Liotta was sharp from the first whistle, making 21 saves in a scoreless first period. Sophomore Jaymee Nolan (Dublin, Ontario/London Devilettes) and Freshman Emily Holmes (Miramichi, New Brunswick) each tested Mercyhurst goaltender Ena Nystrom with shots on target. Freshman Emma Roland (Williamsville, N.Y.) had a shot miss wide off a face-off inside the final three minutes of the period, while Solinger fired two shots from in close that Nystrom saved.

With time running out in the second period, RIT once again applied the pressure. With the puck loose in front of the Mercyhurst net, Solinger poked home a shot in the scrum to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. 

Mercyhurst applied some pressure of its own in the third period, outshooting the Tigers 14-5. Liotta and the Tigers defense held strong, including late in the period when the Lakers pulled their goalie for the extra skater.

These same two teams play again on Thursday, Jan. 7, at 3 p.m. from the Gene Polisseni Center.