CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP— After having 26 days off after their last matchup versus Penn State, RMU women’s hockey is taking part in Battle At The Burgh hosted by the Pittsburgh Penguins at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
In the first matchup of this four-team tournament, Robert Morris took on Bemidji State University and eventually fell by a final score of 3-1.
These two teams have a history of facing off 12 times, with the last coming back in September 2015.
In this edition of RMU and BSU, the Colonials took the first shot, making it 1-0 early on with a goal from Janelle Evans. The Colonials would enter the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. After the first, the Beavers came out firing, scoring goals 11 seconds apart to make it 2-1.
That’s how the second period would end. With the Colonials down late, Head Coach Logan Bittle pulled the goalie, and with that, Bemidji State would score an empty netter, making it 3-1.
That would be the final as Robert Morris fell in game one of Battle At The Burgh by a final score of 3-1.
After such a long layoff between games, it could be hard for a team to immediately come back and play with a strong mentality.
I was able to catch up with Head Coach Logan Bittle on his team’s hot start to the game.
“I loved it,” Bittle said. “Coming off of a break, you don’t know what you are going to get. I thought our team responded really well in the first and the entire game. I thought we played hard and the effort was there, and the competition was there. We have to find a way to put the puck in the back of the net. I’m really proud of the girls and their efforts. I know they are frustrated just as I am after losing a few games, but the process we are doing. I like where we are.”
The Colonials’ lone goal came on the power play and had three opportunities on the man advantage.
“We have to be a little smarter with our decision-making on the powerplay,” Bittle said. “Today we were a little slow on our decision making or maybe making the play we should’ve, but I liked our power play. We entered the zone great and had some opportunities.”
Coming out as hot as the team did it is hard to keep the same intensity for the entire game. That intensity shifted early in the second period as Bemidji State came out and scored two goals in 11 seconds to take the lead.
“On their first goal, it was a nice shot and tip, then a bad break on the second goal where our D and forward ran into each other and gave them a two-on-one. They made a nice play, give them credit,” Bittle said.
Robert Morris will return to action tomorrow afternoon to face off against Maine in the Battle At The Burgh consolation game, with puck drop set for 2 p.m.
