TROY, N.Y.  – On the heels of two first period tallies, the Clarkson University women's hockey team made their early advantage stick and went on to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 2-1, in ECAC Hockey action at the Houston Field House. With the victory, the Golden Knights move to 12-15-6 overall and 9-8-4 in conference play. The Engineers slip to 10-15-7 with a 8-11-2 league mark.

Clarkson struck quickly in the opening stanza, taking a 2-0 lead with goals just 57 seconds apart. Rookie Vanessa Plante (Riviere-du-Loup, PQ/Limoilou Titans) set up the Knights first tally after she fired a shot from the top of the far circle into traffic. The puck bounced off the back of junior Juana Baribeau (Amos, PQ/Lafleche College), who quickly settled it and backhanded it past the reach of RPI netminder Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) at 4:36. 

Sophomore Hailey Wood (Lethbridge, AB/NAHA) helped extend the Clarkson lead at the 5:33 mark after she dug the puck out of the near boards. Sliding along the blueline, Wood sent a shot down the lane which van der Bliek saved. Senior Melissa Waldie (Newmarket, ON/Aurora AA Panthers) was there for the rebound, which the RPI netminder was able to kick away, but rookie Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, ON/Ottawa Senators) was there on the open right side to bury it in. 

The Engineers were able to get one back nearing the mid-way point of the period as sophomore Taylor Horton (St. Thomas, ON/Bluewater Jr. Hawks) tipped the puck in past Clarkson netminder Erica Howe (Ottawa, ON/Ottawa Senators) at 12:44. Classmate Andie Le Donne (Toronto, ON/Durham Lightning) earned the primary assist on the play after she corralled a pass from rookie Jordan Smelker (Anchorage, AK/Team Alaska 19U) and blasted a shot from the high slot.  

Rensselaer amped up the pressure in the second stanza with an 8-3 shot advantage, but was unable to convert. Junior Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride) had one of the best looks in the frame as she came in through the right circle, but Howe was there to poke it away in the slot. 

The third period belonged to the Golden Knights as they outshot the home team by a 15-4 margin. While both teams had their chances, it was Clarkson that nearly iced the game in the closing minute as the Engineers pulled van der Bliek at 1:04 in favor of the extra-attacker. 

Freshman Brittany Styner (Calgary, AB/Edge School Mountaineers) had the first shot at the empty net, but the puck caromed off the left post toward the far boards. Clarkson was able to find it once more, but a great block in the goal mouth by rookie Toni Sanders (York, PA/Susquehanna Rapids 19U) kept the Golden Knights off the scoreboard as time expired.

Howe earned the win, stopping 18 shots, while her counterpart, van der Bliek made 25 saves.

With one game remaining on the schedule for both teams, the standings are tight heading into Saturday's final contests as multiple teams fight for the last spot in the top eight in ECAC Hockey.  Clarkson remains in sixth place (22 points), but is just two points out of fifth behind Quinnipiac, which suffered a surprising loss to Yale on Friday. 

For the Engineers, they fall into a three-way tie for the eighth and final playoff spot alongside Colgate and Yale with 18 points each.  Rensselaer needs a win over St. Lawrence (7th; 20 points) on Saturday to guarantee a spot.  RPI can move into seventh place with a win over St. Lawrence, having defeated the Saints earlier this season.  The Engineers can still get in with a loss or tie, needing losses by both Colgate and Yale as RPI holds the tie-breaker over both in the season series.

RPI is back in action on Saturday, hosting St. Lawrence in the regular season finale for both teams. Game time is set for 4pm. The Golden Knights head to Schenectady to face Union, also at 4pm.