ROCHESTER, N.Y. – A three-goal third period lifted RIT over Dartmouth, 4-3, in game one of the series on Friday afternoon.
Sophomore
Sara McClanahan scored the Big Green's first two goals to have her second two-point performance of her career. Freshmen
Celine Pietraszek and
Currie Putrah, sophomores
Lotti Odnoga and
Gabby Billing, juniors
Emily McLaughlin and
Jennifer Costa, and senior
Bailee Brekke all had a point apiece.
In net, freshman
Hannah Humphreys had 15 saves while being saddled with the loss.
Exactly 10 minutes in, McClanahan opened scoring with her first tally of the season. What followed were six straight shots by the Tigers, the last of which at 12:18 resulted in a goal to tie things up at one.
An RIT (4-6-1) penalty late in the first led to some good chances and a second tally for McClanahan with just six seconds remaining on the power play to give the lead back to Dartmouth (1-5-1). The Tigers had a few more shots but were unable to close the gap.
Little time was wasted getting another on the board, as the Green found the back of the net again in the first minute of the second. Brekke took a chance and was denied, and the rebound went to Pietraszek, who sent it home just 40 seconds in. Dartmouth held RIT to just three shots, one of which almost crossed the goal line but was kept out by Humphreys.
After being held scoreless for almost 30 minutes, RIT netted a trio of goals in a 10-minute span to suddenly erase a two-goal deficit and move ahead by one (4-3). The Big Green worked hard to try and score the equalizer but ran out of time.
Dartmouth outshot RIT, 32-19. The Big Green went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Tigers scored once in four opportunities.
Dartmouth will be back for game two at 12 on Saturday.