MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Head Coach Tony Maci picked up his first win as a head coach in the Union Women's Hockey team's 4-2 afternoon win against Robert Morris University.
Senior Maren Friday led Union (1-1) with a goal and assist and was matched with two points by sophomore Maddie Leaney (2 assists). Juniors Stephanie Bourque and Mallory Mauracher and first year Karianne Engelbert also scored for the Garnet Chargers in the victory. Engelbert's goal was the first of her collegiate career and classmate Klara Kenttala also recorded her first collegiate point with an assist.
Robert Morris put the offensive pressure on in the early minutes of the first period, but the Garnet Chargers struck first as a checking penalty by the Colonials set up Bourque's first goal of the season at 3:02 of the first period. Bourque skated the blue line and fired a shot from the top of the left circle into the right corner of the net, with assists going to Friday and Leaney.
Both teams continued to have even opportunities for the majority of the first period, but a Colonials roughing penalty allowed Engelbert to notch her first career goal with 2:49 left in the first period. A shot on net below the goal line by Kenttala allowed Leaney and Engelbert to whack at the rebound until Engelbert found a way to jam the rebound home.
The Colonials quickly got one back with 1:25 left in the first. A slapshot from RMU's Emma Goding from the left side of the blue line through traffic found its way into the bottom right corner of the net. The Garnet Chargers finished with nine shots to the Colonials' six in the first period.
In the second period, the Garnet Chargers pressed offensively, getting five shots off in the opening minutes of the period. Mauracher scored the period's lone goal, and first as a Garnet Charger, five minutes in. A pass attempt from below the goal line by Madison Primeau deflected off Mauracher's stick and trickled into the net.
The Garnet Chargers and the Colonials both continued to have chances throughout the second period as both teams recorded nine shots on goal.
In the third period, a Union penalty allowed RMU to pull their goaltender, Lucy Phillips, and put an extra attacker out to set up Veronica Bac's goal. A pass from Maddy Coene from the top of the right circle down to the slot allowed Jannelle Evans to take the initial shot on net that would lead to additional rebounds and shots in and around the net. Bac would eventually take a rebound from the right side of the crease and lift it over senior Sophie Matsoukas's pad into the right side of the net with 1:49 remaining.
The Colonials pulled Phillips for an extra skater hoping to tie the game, but Thalia D'Elia took a penalty, making the game five on five.
However, after redirecting a pass in a joint effort by Kenttala and Engelbert, Friday picked up the loose puck at the top of the left circle and shot it down the ice scoring an empty netter and securing the win for the Garnet Chargers.
Matsoukas finished with 22 saves as Union outshot Robert Morris for the second night in a row with 37 shots to 26 by the Colonials.
The Garnet Chargers are back in action next weekend when they host RIT on Friday night at 6:00 pm and Saturday at 4:00 pm for their home opening games.
