Box Score

TROY, NY -- Cornell tallied a goal in each period, including two by senior winger Brittany Forgues (Kemptville, ON/Connecticut Polar Bears), and went on to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 4-1, on senior appreciation day at the Houston Field House this afternoon. With the win, the Big Red improve to 12-13-1 and 9-10-1 in the league. The Engineers drop to 13-13-5 and 6-10-4 in conference play.

Cornell came out firing to take a 2-0 lead in the opening stanza. Freshman Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, ON/Sudbury Wolves) got the Big Red on the board with a shorthanded tally at 13:41, after she picked up a loose puck off an RPI stick and skated into the zone for a backhanded shot underneath RPI goalie Ashley Mayr (Burnaby, BC/BC Breakers).

Senior winger Caeleigh Beerworth (Shrewsbury, VT/North American Hockey Academy) made it a two-goal advantage for visiting Cornell after her shot from the top of the far circle sailed through traffic and past Mayr at 15:55. Freshman Sam Wauer (Oakbank, MB/Balmoral Hall Blazers) and Johnston were credited with the assist on the tally, which was a power play marker.

The Engineers finally broke out onto the scoreboard in the second period as senior Julie Aho (Ann Arbor, MI/Birmingham Rangers) tallied at 3:33. Junior Jamie-Lynn Stewart (Cambridge, ON/Cambridge Jr. Fury) set up the play, breaking in alone on Cornell goalie Jenny Niesluchowski (Camarillo, CA/Cal Select U-19 AA). Her rebound deflected out to Aho, who crashed the net for the even-strength goal.

Despite holding an 11-8 shot advantage in the frame, Rensselaer was unable to hold off the Big Red, who regained their two-goal lead later in the frame off a tally from Forgues. Grabbing the puck in the neutral zone, Beerworth came down the far side and found Forgues in the center slot, who went top shelf for the goal.

Forgues tallied the only goal in the final period after she re-directed a shot by Melanie Jue (Richmond, BC/Pacific Steelers) in the far circle past Mayr at 15:55.

Cornell saw Niesluchowski stop 29 shots on the afternoon while her counterpart, Mayr, made 24 saves.

Senior co-captains Brooke Thompson (Rochester, NY/Rochester Edge) and Kelly Barbera (Nesconset, NY/Gunnery School) along with classmates, Aho and Ellen McNamara (Macomb, MI/Little Caesars U-19) were recognized in a post-game ceremony, honoring their four years of commitment to the Rensselaer program.

Rensselaer concludes its regular season next weekend when it travels to Brown and Yale on Friday (7pm) and Saturday (4pm). Cornell also returns to the ice next weekend when it hosts Dartmouth and Harvard in its regular season finale.