ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Penn State women's hockey team and RIT Tigers skated to a 2-2 tie Saturday afternoon at RIT's Gene Polisseni Center.
The Nittany Lions (12-8-3) had goals scored by sophomores Olivia Wallin (Oakville, Ontario) and Kiara Zanon (Fairport, N.Y.) in the first and second periods respectively.
Sophomore goaltender Josie Bothun (Wyoming, Minn.) made 15 saves, including two big ones in OT to preserve the league point.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Much like Friday's game, the Nittany Lions got off to a good start in Saturday's contest with a goal in the game's first five minutes.
Anna Promersberger (Fargo, N.D.) raced the puck down the left wing and centered it right in front of the goal where Wallin was ready and waiting. She made a move to her back hand and lifted the puck into the net for her third of the season to give Penn State the 1-0 lead at 4:46 in the first period.
RIT did manage to score its first goal of the series before the end of the first period on the power play. After a two-minute cross-checking minor was issued to Mya Vaslet (Sittsville, Ontario) with 3:30 remaining, the Tigers' Megan McCormick needed just 17 seconds to knot the game at 1-1, which remained the game's score heading into the first intermission.
It was Penn State who managed to break the tie just 3:29 into the second period thanks to a good effort in by the Nittany Lions in the offensive end that resulted in Zanon's ninth goal of the season. The forward group of Natalie Heising (Wayzata, Minn.), Zanon and Alyssa Machado (Mississauga, Ontario) did a great job cycling the puck in the offensive end to set up Mallory Uihlein (Edina, Minn.) for an open shot at the point.
Uihlein's shot was tipped by Zanon on its way in to give Penn State the 2-1 lead early in the second period.
Penn State was in control of the puck in the second period, outshooting the Tigers 8-1 in the frame.
The third period did not feature any goals, thought the Nittany Lions tilted the ice toward RIT's end practically the entire frame. Penn State had two power plays that they kept the puck in the offensive end for almost the entire four minutes on the advantage.
Not scoring on either advantage ended up proving costly for the Nittany Lions in the period as RIT managed to tie the game in the waning seconds. The Tigers' Abby Davies netted the tying goal with just 16 seconds left.
In overtime, RIT wound up with two great scoring chances but Josie Bothun (Wyoming, Minn.) made two great stops to keep the Tigers from finding the game winner. Penn State had a great chance with a 3-on-1 rush but the puck flubbed off the stick of the Nittany Lions to keep the scoring chance from developing further.
NEXT UP
Penn State continues CHA league play with a trip to Lindenwood next Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21-22.
