PITTSBURGH– The RMU women’s hockey team took on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers and lost by a score of 1-0.

The Engineers Goalie Louvisa Salender ended the night with 58 saves compared to the Colonials Lauren Bailey’s 17.

The lone Engineer goal was scored by Jamie Grisgsby with an assist by Blake Orosz.

Both teams were able to hold themselves to three penalties apiece, but neither team was able to score on the power play.

Offensively the Colonials played well moving the puck between players, Emily Curlett, Jacee Gebhard and Amber Rennie. Each player continued to generate multiple scoring opportunities throughout the game but the Colonials just couldn’t get the puck into the net.

“Its just not finishing the job. Too many people potentially comfortable doing a lot of the work and just not finishing it,” said Coach Paul Colontino. “Sometimes we say that’s the hardest part.”

Defensively the Colonials did well as they kept RPI to a consistent five or six shots a period.

It was in the second period that the Engineers got a shot past Bailey, for the only goal all game with fifteen minutes left to play in the period.

“They were really good at boxing out and not making it easy for us to get to the net,” said left winger Amber Rennie. “That’s on us being able to get to positions, being ready.”

Kirsten Welsh got her 93 career penalty late in the second period for slashing. She is now tied for the most career penalties in Colonial history.

The Colonials continued to attack the RPI net but shots just weren’t going in for Robert Morris. With two minutes left in the game, the Colonials shot the puck nine times and each time it was met by Salender.

In the third period alone the Colonials shot the puck 26 times, with Rennie and Welsh each shooting it five times.

With 2.6 seconds left on the clock, the Colonials called for a timeout. With the remaining time, the Colonials were not able to do much of anything and the game ended with a score of 1-0 in favor of the Engineers

“When we play these non-conference teams that are more open in terms of style of play it helps us,” said Colontino. “Playing those teams really exposes you and it gives you things to build on and when you do that over say six non-conference games. You’re hoping that come conference weekends they have a lot of that cleaned up.”

The Colonials finish their series against the Engineers on Saturday at 3:05 pm before beginning conference play against Mercyhurst next weekend on Oct 19.