Orange Lose to RIT; Series Finale is Saturday

Friday, December 1

Syracuse, NY

6:00 pm

Syracuse University

3-13-2, 0-6-1

RIT

8-6-2, 4-3-0

RIT

Syracuse

12/1/2023 10:48:00 PM | Ice Hockey

Box Score

Saturday, Dec. 2, Rochester, N.Y. (3 pm)
Gene Polessini Center
Watch: FloHockey
Live Stats: Saturday
Twitter: @CuseIce
Syracuse: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes

Syracuse forward Kate Holmes put the first goal on the scoreboard to increase her team-leading point total to 13 on Friday night against RIT at Tennity Ice Pavilion. The Orange (3-13-2 overall, 0-6-1 College Hockey America) gave up two goals in the second and then RIT (8-6-2, 4-3) tallied two empty net goals for the final score of 4-1. Syracuse will travel to Rochester for the second game of the home-and-home series at RIT on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 pm in the Gene Polisseni Center in Rochester.

"We had a great first 20 minutes and we talked about that in the locker room,' said head coach Britni Smith. "Then we let off the gas. Our second period cost us the game tonight. RIT is a team that battles hard. That was part of our pre-scout. They are a team that works hard. We had to make sure that we were ready to battle for 60. I'd like to see us win more of our 50-50 battles to be honest. I thought we got pushed around a little bit and allowed them to take it to us at times. That has to be our focus tomorrow – to win those 50-50 battles."

In the first period, Holmes one-timed a rebound shot into the back of the net to give Syracuse a 1-0 advantage. Defenseman Rachel Teslak started the power play scoring opportunity with a shot from the top of the right circle that RIT goaltender Sophia Bellina knocked down on the crease. Orange Forward Darci Johal corralled the loose puck off of the Teslak shot and fired one of her own that deflected off of Bellina to Holmes at the bottom of the left circle.

RIT tied the game in the second period on a goal by Chloe McNeil at the 4:24 mark. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead on a power play goal by Kylie Aquaro with three minutes remaining in the second frame. RIT added two empty net goals in the last two minutes for the final score of 4-1.
Orange goaltender Allie Kelley moved into the 15th spot on Syracuse's single-season saves record list with 25 in the game. Kelley's 533 in 18 games this season moved her past Maddi Welch (526 saves in 2018-19) on the record list.

Defenseman Rachel Teslak blocked five shots and Johal had two blocks. Forward Tatum White won a game-high 16 face-offs to increase her season total to 166.

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