SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Union's offense was in top shape, and defense kept the Engineers off the board, as the Union College women's hockey team soared past RPI, 5-1, on Friday night at Messa Rink. 

The first period started strong for the Dutchwomen. After Union opened up the scoring for the rivalry game in Schenectady, the Dutchwomen glided past the Engineers in the second and third periods offensively, creating a lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Sophomore Grace Heiting and senior Ava Reynolds both had two-point nights to lead Union to a significant ECAC victory to move to 4-17-5 (4-7-3 ECAC) in the standings. RPI continues the season searching for their first win as a team, and falls to 0-25-1 (0-15-0 ECAC).

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• 16:43 1st (Union 1-0) | Junior Angelica Melone caught the puck from an RPI dump and gave it to sophomore Grace Heiting, who was open at center ice. Classmate Katie Sonntag got ahold of the puck to skate in front of the net, and score the first of the game. The goal marks Sonntag's third of the season.
• 0:10 2nd (RPI 1-1) | Just seconds into the second period, RPI got themselves on the board to make for an intense rivalry game at Messa Rink. Maddy Peterson grabbed scored on a breakaway after Union attempted to dump the puck.
• 5:07 2nd (Union 2-1) | First-year Carmen Merlo passed the puck from the left face-off circle to classmate Leah Herrfort, and Herrfort tried to shot it in. Senior Katelynn Russ grabbed the rebound from Herrfort's shot and gave Union the lead once again.
• 15:39 2nd (Union 3-1) | Senior Ava Reynolds gave the puck at center ice to classmate Cheyenne Harris, who skated it to the Union offensive zone to senior Rachel de Perio, who scored her fifth of the season to make it a 3-1 game going into the second intermission.
• 3:14 3rd (Union 4-1) | Sophomore Grace Heiting scored right off the face-off for Union and made it a 4-1 game to open up the final frame of play. Heiting's goal, her fourth on the season, was unassisted.
• 10:48 3rd (Union 5-1) | Reynolds passed the puck to first-year Emily King, and junior Helen Markovic used the RPI defender as a screen to get the puck past the Engineers goaltender and give the Dutchwomen a four-goal lead.

GAME NOTES:

• Union had the advantage in shots on goal, 42-18. This game marks the first time Union had more than 40 shots in a game since November 10, 2018, versus Brown.
• Russ adds to her team lead in goals by collecting her eighth of her season in the second period.
• Russ also had the team-lead in shots, with seven.
• Reynolds now has sole possession of the team-lead in assists, with nine, with assists on de Perio's and Markovic's goals. 
• First-year goaltender Bella McKee made 17 saves in goal to collect her fourth win of the season.

WHAT'S NEXT:

The Dutchwomen return for another game with RPI, with the Mayors' Cup at Times Union Center in Albany. Puck drop for the rivalry game is scheduled for 3 p.m.