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RIT started the second period outshooting Syracuse 7-1 in the first four minutes. But the Tigers couldn’t get the puck past SU goaltender Allison Small. Nearly seven minutes into the second period, Syracuse’s Brynn Koocher received a pass from Marielle McHale and dragged the puck towards the left side of the goal to draw out RIT goalie Sarah Coe. Koocher then fired a high-driving shot that rattled off the crossbar and fell just beyond the goal line. The buzzer sounded, signalling the Orange’s third goal of the contest.

Syracuse’s (4-5-2, 3-1-0 College Hockey America) breakout second period performance propelled them a 7-0 win and series victory over Rochester Institute of Technology (0-12-0, 0-2-0 CHA). Koocher’s goal gave Syracuse a 3-0 lead after two previous goals in the first period. The Orange went on to score four more times in the second period to cement their victory against RIT. Seven SU players scored each of the team’s goals and the Orange ultimately outshot the Tigers 67-40.

Rayla Clemons dispossessed the puck from an RIT defenseman and was able to skate clear on goal before RIT’s Jordan Marchese tripped Clemons from behind. Marchese was given a two minute penalty for slashing and Clemons was awarded a penalty shot. The SU forward skated toward the right side of the goal before faking to the left, rounding Coe and passing it beyond the Tiger goalie’s left pad for Clemons’ first goal of the season.

Nearly five minutes later, SU doubled its lead through McHale after the forward found a pocket and fired the puck into the top left corner of the goal. RIT initially won a faceoff in its own half but then lost control of the puck before McHale collected the puck. Throughout the first period, the Orange limited the Tigers from creating goal scoring opportunities and outshot RIT 18-6 after the first twenty minutes.

Koocher’s goal held SU’s lead to three after the Orange survived RIT’s offensive pressure in the opening minutes of the second period. Defender Jessica DiGirolamo scored her fourth goal of the year halfway through the second period after receiving a pass from Sarah Marchand on the right side of the rink. Unmarked, DiGirolamo controlled the puck in open space and comfortably shot it into the left side of the net past Coe, who couldn’t react in time to attempt a save.

SU finished the second period with three goals in the final four minutes. Madison Primeau skated across the face of goal past Coe before tapping the puck into the net to make give the Orange a 5-0 lead. Then RIT’s Marchese and Chloe McNeil drew two separate penalties that helped SU tack on two additional goals.

Sarah Marchand received a pass from Lauren Bellefontaine and took a shot that lashed past Coe’s goal and landed in the top right corner to score SU’s sixth. The Tigers then switched goaltenders and brought in Taylor Liotta but couldn’t prevent Syracuse’s Victoria Klimek form scoring off the crossbar and Liotta’s back before sliding across the goal line.

Syracuse shot 25 more times in the third period but didn’t convert any attacking opportunities. RIT won 13 of 16 faceoffs in the third period but only recorded 15 shots and couldn’t get on the board before the end of regulation.

Published on November 6, 2021 at 10:44 pm

Contact Bryan: brbrush@syr.edu