NEVILLE TWP., PA. — Another great start by Robert Morris was thwarted by Syracuse Saturday as the Colonials drop the series finale to the Orange 5-1 at the Island Sports Center. Or, maybe more correct, Robert Morris couldn’t capitalize on another great start, and Syracuse took advantage of several Colonials miscues.
It’s been the story of the season for Robert Morris – start out strong and ceed the opening score to the opponent, continue to battle throughout the end of the opening frame only to watch it drift away in some of the wildest ways imaginable – today saw two goals scored off of deflections that were nobody’s fault, a goal scored on a miscue turnover behind the cage, and a bad-luck breakaway goal before closing things out with what was a full-length rink-wrapping empty net goal.
The effort was at the Island today as there were several highly rated opportunities that challenged Orange netminder Allie Kelley, and the two teams played a physical, yet clean game that saw it’s only penalty called with three seconds remaining.
THE GAME
The Colonials came out flying with another high effort first period leading the Orange in shots 8-1 before the first media timeout, but once again trailed on the scoreboard 1-0 as a Nea Tervonen tip found it’s way through starter Lucy Phillips at 1:17. Syracuse continued to pressure but found no real chances the remainder of the frame with Robert Morris getting an opportunity late as Laura Eustace, Ally Hebert and Catronia Crarer took a 3-on-1 and Crarer’s fourth of the season over the glove of Allie Kelley tying the contest.
Bad luck found the Colonials early in the second as Phillips would accidentaly leave a puck for first-year Orange forward Stella Costibile who beat the net minder to the cage for an easy wrap around goal for the lead at 1:28. Syracuse built on that momentum and junior Heidi Knoll rushed a breakaway shot through the legs of Phillips at 16:54.
THE PLAYOFFS
Even though the Colonials have a weekend left in the season, hosting the Lindenwood Lions this weekend could prove beneficial for the team. A regulation win all could lock up a trip to Rochester, N.Y. on February 22 to face RIT in a single game, one of the two teams that Robert Morris has a positive record against- one overtime win, one shootout win. A negative outcome sends the team to Tennity Ice Pavilion and a date with Syracuse – a team that has three 4-1 victories as well as a 5-1 win.
It’s a single game to play for the right to face either Penn State or Mercyhurst, but the compete level of Robert Morris and the fact that it’s only come down to a few weird bounces leaves the door wide open in the postseason.
UP NEXT
Robert Morris closes out the 2024-25 regular season with a pair of contests against aforementioned Lindenwood. Puck drop from Clearview Arena is set for 7:00pm on Friday, with Senior Day festivities on tap for the Class of 2025 taking place at noon on Saturday.
