'Cuse Takes Down No. 9/8 Robert Morris

Saturday, February 8

Moon Township, PA

3:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

16-11-3 (7-6-3CHA)

#9/8 Robert Morris

21-6-3 (10-4-2CHA)

Syracuse

RMU

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

2/8/2014 6:20:00 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Box Score

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa.—Julie Knerr scores two goals in the Syracuse ice hockey team's 3-1 upset of No. 9/8 Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon in Lumber Arena. Knerr scored the game winner in the second period, the second of her career.

"To take three of four points this weekend against a quality team like Robert Morris was big," head coach Paul Flanagan said. "We had to kill two five-on-three situations in the second period and we played really hard. Jenesica Drinkwater played well in goal again and hopefully we can take this momentum into the next couple of weeks as playoffs start getting closer."

Last night Syracuse's first line had a hand in each of its three goals but this afternoon the Orange showed its depth and all of its scores came from second-line skaters. Jessica Sibley had three points on the night, scoring the first goal of the game and assisting on the next two. Fellow forwards Julie Knerr and Akane Hosoyamada each had two points with Knerr scoring the game-winner and the insurance goal and Hosoyamada assisting on SU's first and last goal. Defenseman Brittney Krebs, who scored the game-tying goal last night, tossed in an assist on Sibley's goal.

Drinkwater matched her season-best with 37 saves against the Colonials while RMU's Jessica Dodds was only able to stop 16 shots. The Orange was more conservative on offense, tallying just 40 shots, of which 19 were on target and 17 were blocked by Robert Morris defenders.

The Colonials scored its one goal on the power play but SU was able to kill six of its seven penalties. The Orange is now 3-6-2 against ranked opponents and 1-2-1 against the Colonials this season.

Syracuse took its first lead just 26 seconds into the contest when Hosoyamada took a shot that rebounded to the right post where Sibley was position to slide it past Dodd.

Knerr scored the eventual game-winner off a pass from Sibley from behind the net. The puck found its way to Knerr's stick and she wristed one over the right shoulder of Dodd to take a 2-0 lead with 14:06 left in the second stanza.

Knerr scored again with 5:49 left in the second period when she redirected a rebound off a shot by Hosoyamada into the goal to gain a three-goal advantage going into the final period.

Robert Morris would put an end to the shutout 1:10 into the last period when Thea Imbrogno scored on the power play.

Syracuse is back in action next weekend for two games at Lindenwood on Friday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. in St. Charles, Mo.