RPI Rolls Past Bluewater

Boxscore

TROY, N.Y. - Powered by two goals and an assist from senior captain Laura Gersten, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's hockey team defeated the Bluewater Hawks, 6-1, in a season-opening exhibition at the Houston Field House on Saturday.

Rensselaer took the early lead just 13 seconds into the contest as Gersten (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) rifled a shot through traffic from the top of the right circle.  Sophomore Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride), who passed the puck back from the top of the slot, was credited with the assist.

The Hawks got on the board at the five minute mark after Carly Mercer (Exeter, ON) buried the rebound past Rensselaer netminder Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros).  Ally Tarr earned an assist after she carried the puck into the slot and sent a hard shot at the RPI netminder.  Taylor Day (Ilderton, ON) was credited with the second assist.

Sophomore Laura Guillemette (Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, PQ/Notre Dame) gave the home team a 2-1 advantage at 10:46 after she found the loose puck in front of the net and lifted it over the glove of Bluewater goalie Lisa Steffes (Amherstburg, ON).  Earning the assists were classmates Jill Vandegrift (St. Paul, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) and Amanda Castignetti (Anchorage, AK/Shattuck St. Mary's).

The Engineers built a two-goal lead after senior Whitney Naslund (Bloomington, MN/Bloomington-Jefferson) picked up a re-directed shot along the far boards and sent it flying through traffic and into the top left corner at 16:06.  Senior captain Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice), who passed it to Naslund, and Gersten earned the assists.

The second period saw the homestanding Engineers go up 5-1 on tallies by Vandegrift and Gersten.  Skating between the circles, Vandegrift sent a slapshot over the shoulder of Steffes just 1:37 into the frame.  Gersten later notched RPI's fifth goal at 11:41 after her shot from the top of the slot went over the glove of Hawks goalie Danielle Butters (London, ON) at 11:41.

Junior Kendra Dunlop (Granum, AB/Warner Hockey School) added Rensselaer's final goal after she re-directed a shot from the top of the left circle by rookie Janessa Haller (Anoka, MN/Anoka).  Senior Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary's) also earned an assist.

In goal, van der Bliek stopped seven shots through the first two periods, before giving way to freshman Shannon Ramelot (Bloomfield, MI/Honeybaked 19U), who made five saves.  For Bluewater, Steffes stopped 24 shots, while Butters had 19 saves.

The Engineers open the regular season on Friday when they host Wayne State University at 7pm at the Houston Field House.  Bluewater returns to action on Sunday when it travels to Union College for a 12pm exhibition.