Colonials fall to Buckeyes on the road

Carter Conroy

The Robert Morris University Colonials (2-4) dropped their second straight game in a tightly contested 5-3 game Friday night against the Ohio State University Buckeyes (4-1-2).

The Colonials jumped out to an early lead in the first period. After failing to score on their first power play of the game, sophomore winger Luke Lynch hammered home a rebound goal for the first marker of the game and his fifth of the season. The goal was scored at 10:41 and was a rebound goal from an initial shot by defenseman Alex Robert. Another sophomore forward, Matthew Graham, was also credited with an assist on RMU’s first goal.

Shortly after their first tally, Robert Morris scored again to take a quick two-goal lead. The goal was scored by senior forward and assistant captain Timmy Moore for his first of the year. Moore scored off of a beautiful wrist shot on the rush from the top of the right circle.

After RMU jumped out to take the lead, Ohio State scored their first of the game to cut the lead in half just a few seconds later.

Sophomore forward Tanner Laczynski scored the goal, his first of the season, at 12:03.

RMU held on to a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

In the second period, Ohio State scored a powerplay goal early on to tie the game at two. The goal came at 1:30 from junior forward John Wiitala, who buried a puck while standing on top of the crease for his third of the season.

Shortly after this goal, OSU scored their third straight goal off of an excellent pass from senior forward Kevin Miller. Robert Morris goaltender Francis Marotte was helpless because of the highlight-reel pass as Ohio State freshman forward Eugene Fadyeyev had an easy tap-in for the Buckeyes’ third goal of the game at 2:31.

Later in the second period, the Colonials were granted a power play chance and scored a goal to tie the game at 3-3. Sophomore forward Daniel Mantenuto scored his first of the season with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.

Then, late in the period, senior forward Matthew Weis for Ohio State scored his second goal of the season and what ended up being the game-winning goal 19:00 into the period. The goal by Weis made it 4-3 and was an easy tap-in again on top of the crease from teammates Tanner Laczynski and Sasha Larocque.

The Colonials fought hard in the third period in an attempt to tie the game but were unable to score again. Goaltender Francis Marotte kept his team in the game, making stellar saves in the final frame.

Marotte had 19 saves in the third period alone and 40 saves total in the entire game.

Ohio State’s Austin Pooley added the final goal of the game to make it 5-3.

Ohio State will come to Robert Morris Saturday night, Oct. 28 for the final game of the home and home series. The Colonials will look to get back into the win column against their Big Ten foes. The game will start at 7:05 p.m. at the Colonials Arena.