By: Jonpaul D’Agostino
ROCHESTER, N.Y. --- The RIT Tigers women's hockey team took on the Penn State Nittany Lions Saturday afternoon in the second game of a two-game series, losing 2-1, after yesterday's 4-1 loss. Neither team scored any goals outside the first period, so the game went to overtime. Both teams traded shots, but nothing went in the net—until Penn State defender Leah Stecker came off a pass from right wing Alyssa Machado and took a low shot that gave Penn State the win, 2-1.
"I think we all wanted to play our hearts out," RIT goalie Sarah Coe said. "To play one last game in this building together and play with each other."
While defending their ice, the Tigers played a much more defensive game compared to Penn State. The Nittany Lions took 48 shots compared to the Tigers 20.
Coe took her game to another level on Senior day, saving 46 of 48 shots.
"It's just thinking about the next shot," Coe said. "Thinking about my teammates when I'm tired I know that we're all tired, so it's just about getting those shots."
The first period was a pretty even one, with both teams ending up trading goals, and trading time in the penalty box.
The first goal of the game came right out the gate by Machado, coming off a pass from her teammate, she sunk a low shot in between the legs of the RIT goalie, making it 1-0 Penn State less than two minutes in.
RIT, however, answered back a couple of minutes later, with left defense Kyla Bear receiving a pass from right wing Kylie Aquaro and left wing Brac Kelley. Bear took a low left-handed shot that went right into the net to even the score 1-1.
Penn State committed the first penalty, with junior forward Katelyn Roberts getting two minutes in the box for hooking. RIT followed it up with a penalty of their own, as left winger Linda Rulle got sent to the box for two minutes for slashing.
The second period followed mostly the same script as the first. It started with RIT center Megan McCormick getting sent to the penalty box for two minutes for a tripping call.
Penn State followed it up with a call against them. Right wing Abby Stonehouse got a two-minute box trip for too many players on the ice. Nittany Lions left wing Maddy Christian got the longest penalty of the period, being sidelined for five minutes for head contact.
Penn State ended up getting another too many players on the ice call just minutes after their first, as Roberts was called for her second penalty of the game.
RIT and Penn State both ended up trading checking calls at the end of the period. Defender Lyndie Lobdell for the Nittany Lions crosschecked a Tiger and got a two-minute call, while defender Emma Pickering got her cross-checking call just seconds after the Tigers had a power play.
"It starts with getting down and getting into a check for check to build some momentum," RIT Tigers head coach Celeste Brown said. "From there it's managing our lines, and that's the key to getting off as well."
Five minutes in to the third period, RIT’s Kyla Bear got two minutes in the box for high sticking, which was the only penalty of the period.
Both teams tried to score but none could get anything going with Penn State taking 34 shots, with 20 of them being shots on goal. RIT had a meager 11 shots with five of them being on goal.
RIT with the loss still earned a spot in the AHA tournament.
"Every playoff game is a dog fight," Brown said. "I expect next weekend to be fast, physical, gritty, battles on every single puck."
RIT will go on to be the fourth seed at 15-15-4 and will match up against Linderwood in the AHA tournament next Saturday, February 22.
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