STATE COLLEGE, PA — “History” was a term that radiated throughout Beaver Stadium in the early hours of Friday morning. Not because of any player or team’s accomplishments, but because of the venue where today’s Robert Morris and Penn State women’s hockey bout took place.
For the first time in either program’s history, the pair would be playing on the ice outside, smack dab in the middle of the field where only Football has taken place.
While the energy and effort were there from Logan Bittle’s team, the fourth-ranked Penn State proved to be too strong for RMU, as the Colonials would fall 3-0.
Even though Penn State had already clinched a fourth straight AHA title and was missing multiple stars due to international duties ahead of the Olympics, a program record attendance of 1,838 braved the negative temperatures to see what they hoped to be a dominant performance.
The first period’s numbers paint that picture well. PSU did indeed dominate, generating 14 shots on net compared to RMU’s two. But Colonial goaltender Maggie Hatch stood tall in between the pipes. And besides a bad miss from PSU’s McKenna Walsh, who deked around the junior shot stopper before hitting the side netting, Hatch comfortably dealt with any and everything the Nittany Lions threw at her.
The second period started with more of the same, but it would be McKenna Walsh who would make history and simultaneously break the Colonials back. The sophomore would collect her second goal of the year, pushing the puck just past Hatch on two on one fast break.
And like the Nittany Lions have become accustomed to this season, once one goal goes in, the second is close behind.
Penn State would extend its lead to two when Maddy Christian connected on a loose puck, putting another puck past Hatch less than a minute after the first.
Down two against the number four team in the country, the task seemed insurmountable, and after a stale third period where PSU added an additional goal through a Grace Outwater fastbreak, the final buzzer blew, bringing the historic and hard-fought match to an end.
Robert Morris would walk away with only 13 shots on target, but Maggie Hatch would end her day with 39 saves, 3 short of her season high, and a performance to be proud of.
Penn State moves to 25-4 on the season, and will have the chance to sweep the Colonials in back-to-back seasons tomorrow, indoors at Pegula Area in State College.
While the Nittany Lions already have their spot in the AHA semifinals booked, the Colonials are fighting for a positive seed. Currently, RMU sits sixth in the AHA and doesn’t have the possibility of falling below last-place Delaware, which they welcome next week to Clearview Arena.
After that, Lindenwood comes to town, and so could the possibility of leapfrogging the Lions in the standings.
While the result did not go the Colonials’ way today, the performances from many, particularly on the defensive side, show promising signs for a positive end to the season.
Puck drop for RMU vs PSU is scheduled for 6 P.M. tomorrow. The Colonials will return home for their final four regular-season games starting next week, with Delaware at 3 P.M. on Friday, February 6.
