Troy, NY- Junior Giavanna Mancy scored the lone goal just 46 seconds into the second period, and sophomore goaltender Emma Rhéaume turned aside all 28 shots she faced as the Union College women's hockey team earned a hard-fought 1-0 shutout victory over RPI in the Route 7 rivalry matchup Tuesday night in Troy, N.Y. Mancy's first collegiate goal proved to be the difference, as she collected the puck near center ice and carried it the length of the ice before beating the RPI goaltender with an impressive unassisted finish.
Rhéaume was outstanding between the pipes, making 28 saves to secure her second shutout of the season and the fourth of her career at Union (7-4-0, 2-3-0 ECAC Hockey). The sophomore was especially strong in the third period, turning aside all 18 shots she faced as RPIÂ (1-13-0, 0-4-0 ECAC Hockey) pressed for the equalizer. Union finished with 41 shots, including 28 on goal, while holding the Engineers scoreless through all 60 minutes. The victory marked a statement performance for the Union women's ice hockey team, who battled through a physical rivalry matchup and delivered a road shutout across the river.
The Route 7 rivalry got off to a gritty start in Troy, N.Y., as both teams came out ready to battle in the opening period. The Union women's ice hockey team set the tone early, spending much of the frame in the offensive zone and consistently putting pressure on the RPI defense. The Union women's ice hockey team generated several scoring opportunities, outshooting the Engineers 21-10 and holding a 13-6 advantage in shots on goal. Union's offensive pressure continued to build as the period progressed, forcing RPI's goaltender Reese Keating to come up with several key saves to keep the game scoreless. Late in the period, the Chargers earned their first power-play opportunity of the night, looking to capitalize on the man advantage and break through before the intermission. Despite generating additional chances with the extra skater, Union came up short, as RPI held firm defensively. After 20 minutes of hard-fought hockey, the teams headed into the first intermission locked in a scoreless tie, with The Union women's ice hockey team holding the advantage in shots and offensive pressure.
Union wasted no time making its mark in the second period, as Giavanna Mancy opened the scoring just 46 seconds into the frame with a spectacular unassisted goal. Mancy picked up the puck near center ice and carried it all the way down the ice, beating the RPI defense before finding the back of the net to give the Garnet Chargers a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Mancy's first collegiate tally and gave the Union women's ice hockey team an early spark in the rivalry matchup. The Chargers continued to generate offensive opportunities, outshooting RPI 13-9 and holding a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal. Both teams battled for possession, matching each other with 10 face off wins apiece. RPI looked to respond, but Union held strong defensively, keeping the Engineers off the scoreboard through 40 minutes of play. The Chargers carried a 1-0 lead into the second intermission
The third period saw RPI push hard to find the equalizer, outshooting Union 25-7 and putting 18 shots on goal. Sophomore goaltender Emma Rhéaume delivered an outstanding performance between the pipes, turning aside all 18 shots she faced in the final frame to preserve Union's lead. Rhéaume finished the night with an impressive 28 saves on 28 shots, earning her second shutout of the season and the fourth of her career at Union. Despite RPI's offensive pressure, the Garnet Chargers battled defensively to protect their one-goal advantage. The Engineers could not find the back of the net, as Union held on for a hard-fought 1-0 victory.
The Union College women's hockey team returns home to the M&T Bank Center for a pair of ECAC Hockey matchups. The Garnet Chargers welcome St. Lawrence on Friday, November 6, before hosting another nationally ranked opponent, No. 9 Clarkson, on Saturday, November 7, with puck drop set for 3 p.m.
