By: Liam Hoffmann
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — 24 days since last taking the ice, the RIT Tigers returned to host No. 7 Cornell Big Red on New Year’s Eve. Despite a 1-1 knot through 20 minutes, RIT fell 5-1. The Tigers’ 3-2 record since November 23rd is marked by two losses at the hands of the Big Red.
Moments after falling behind 1-0, sophomore defensewoman and RIT goals-leader Emma Pickering (9) skated in from the left and fired high on Cornell sophomore goaltender Annelies Bergmann. The puck deflected off Bergmann and over her head where RIT right wing Kylie Aquaro tapped it in for the equalizer.
Tigers’ goalie Sarah Coe saved 11 in the first period to keep RIT competitive. RIT’s all-time leader in saves (2,360) and goalie minutes played (4,363) made outstretched pad and glove saves and stood tall against Cornell rebound takes.
Coe ended with 38 saves against five surrendered goals.
“Sarah played aggressive and made some massive saves, especially early on,” RIT women’s hockey coach Celeste Brown said. “They had some great shots too but no matter what goaltender is in the net, we have to play our style game in front. When we do that, we’ve proven we can play some of the top teams in the country it’s just about the consistency, all 60 minutes of it, and being disciplined in what we’re trying to do.”
Despite entering the game with the nation’s seventh-best power play conversion rate (25.4%), RIT’s woman-up went 0-for-2. The Tigers produced two blocked shots, two outright missed shots, and one shot on goal across two power plays. Cornell, on the contrary, converted on two of five woman-up chances.
After RIT won seven of 19 faceoffs in the first, Cornell won 32 of 42 down the stretch.
“In the first, we had a little bit of a presence and after that, we kind of just hesitated and versus a good team you can’t, you have to be willing to step up, make plays, be aggressive, be willing to make mistakes, and I thought we kind of sat back and gave them time and space,” Brown said. “When you do that, they’re going to do what they’re going to do, and I thought that’s where we kinda fell short.”
After a strong start, Coe’s first mistake was less than 70 seconds before the first-period horn blew. Cornell senior forward Lily Delianedis passed from behind the goal to the open sophomore forward Delaney Fleming in the low slot. Fleming tucked the puck into the lower near-corner for the game’s first advantage.
The Big Red controlled the middle period. RIT recorded just three shots on goal and went a 15 minute-span without taking one. Cornell blocked five shots in the frame.
Soon into the second, Cornell senior forward Katie Chan received a pass near the blue line and shot past Coe from nearly 60 feet out for the Big Red’s second lead at 2-1. Later, after RIT first-year defensewoman Madison Buziak was penalized for cross-checking, Cornell senior forward Lily Delianedis used the woman-up to bury a wrist-shot insurance goal.
The Big Red sealed the win with five minutes left as Cornell junior forward Mckenna Van Gelder gathered a loose puck on RIT’s side before passing back and forth with senior forward Gabbie Rud off the rush and eventually knocking in the 4-1 score. Minutes later, sophomore defensewoman Piper Grober scored from the low slot and extended the lead to 5-1.
“We expect to play other ranked teams in the postseason so we’re gonna take what we’ve learned into the next couple days and games and focus on what we can control,” Brown said. “Our style of play, executing that…we have to be playing our best hockey at the end of the season so that’s what we’re working up towards here in the next few weeks.”
RIT looks ahead to a pair of road dates with another out-of-conference opponent, the Post University Eagles, in Connecticut this weekend. Puck drop in game one is scheduled for Friday, January 3rd at 8:00 P.M.