Box Score / Highlights

TROY, N.Y. - Syracuse University had a three-goal second period and the Orange held off a feverish comeback from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team to defeat the Engineers, 4-3, in a non-league game at Houston Field House.

Syracuse held a 4-1 lead late in the third period when RPI scored twice in a three-minute span to pull within 4-3 with under two minutes remaining. The Orange, behind sophomore netminder Jenesica Drinkwater (Brantford, ON/Stoney Creek), kept the home team off the scoreboard for the final 1:13 to improve to 6-9-0. Rensselaer falls to 3-10-4.

The visitors opened a 3-1 lead with their three second period goals. Junior Holly Carrie-Mattimoe (Sherwood Park, AB/Vimy Ridge Academy) tied the score just 3:23 into the period when she deflected a Caitlin Roach (Dearborn Heights, MI/Honeybaked) pass into the back of the net.

Freshman Julie Knerr (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, PQ/College Bourget) put the visitors in front just over seven minutes later on a nifty individual effort. After collecting a long pass from Taylor Metcalfe (Oakville, ON/St. Thomas Aquinas), Knerr drove down the right side, stopped abruptly in the bottom of the faceoff circle, pulled the puck back and fired a shot past RPI netminder Kelly O'Brien (Sussex, WI/Madison Capitals).

The Orange made it a two-goal advantage at 15:47 when senior captain Megan Skelly (Taber, AB/National Sport Academy) scored on a wraparound. Skelly's initial shot from the below the right faceoff circle was wide but she collected the loose puck and beat O'Brien to the opposite side for her third goal of the season.

Syracuse got its fourth goal at 7:38 of the third period when freshman Kaillie Goodnough (Mannsville, NY/National Sports Academy) scored on a slapshot from blueline. That goal, Goodnough's third of the year, chased O'Brien, who was replaced by classmate Brianna Piper (Oakville, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros).

Rensselaer, which held a 31-16 edge in shots on goal, saw sophomore Jordan Smelker (Anchorage, AK/Team Alaska 19U) score from the slot at 15:51 with the Engineers skating with an extra attacker. Junior defenseman Andie Le Donne (Toronto, ON/Durham Lightning), who assisted on Smelker's marker, tallied an extra attacker of her own, this one at 18:47, to bring RPI to within one goal, but the home team could not get the equalizer.

The Engineers got on the board first when freshman defenseman Kathryn Schilter (Aurora, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) sent a shot from the far boards that was deflected on goal by senior forward Jill Vandegrift (St. Paul, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds). Vandegrift's shot from just outside the crease was saved but she backhanded the rebound over Drinkwater (Brantford, ON/Stoney Creek) for her fourth goal of the season. The assist on the goal, which came at the 13:24 mark, was Schilter's second of the season.

Drinkwater finished with 28 saves for the win, while O'Brien stopped 10 shots in suffering the loss. Piper saved both shots she faced in relief.

Rensselaer and Syracuse are right back in action on Saturday afternoon at the Houston Field House. Faceoff is 4pm.