ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Playing in its first outdoor game in program history, sixth-ranked Clarkson was able to overcome the winter elements and a stubborn Rochester Institute squad to defeat the Tigers 6-2 at Frontier Field on Saturday afternoon.
Senior captain Carly Mercer paced the Golden Knights to the win and was named the game's first star after a two-goal, one-assist effort.
With the temperature at 16 degrees, a brisk wind blowing and steady snowfall accumulating during the Frozen Frontier, Clarkson used two quick offensive bursts and the play of its senior class to gain the win against RIT.
After a scoreless first period, in which Clarkson held a 12-2 shot advantage, the Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead midway through the second stanza. The Green and Gold began the scoring with a pair of goals 33 seconds apart.
Carly Mercer connected in front off a pass from her younger sister, Cayley Mercer at 9:59 with freshman Genevieve Bannon also assisting. The Knights came right back with senior Jamie Lee Rattray finishing off a pass from classmate Brittany Styner at 9:59.
At 12:45, Clarkson built a 3-0 lead on Carly Mercer's second goal of the period. Senior defender Vanessa Plante and Cayley Mercer picked up the assists.
The Tigers, who lost to Clarkson 12-1 in the season opener on Sept. 28, battled back with a late second-period score and a goal at 1:21 of the third period to make it a 3-2 game. Kolbee McCrea scored both goals for RIT.
Senior assistant captain Vanessa Gagnon gave Clarkson back the momentum at 7:35 when she stole the puck along the boards in the RIT end while on the penalty kill and fired in a wrist shot from the slot for a shorthanded marker, giving the Knights a 4-2 lead. Thirty-four seconds later sophomore Olivia Howe tipped in a pass from Carly Mercer for her third goal of the season, putting Clarkson on top 5-2.
Gagnon closed out the scoring wither her second goal of the game and seventh of the year at 16:53. Sophomore Shannon MacAulay recorded the assist.
No. 4 North Dakota 2, Minnesota State-Mankato 1
MANKATO, Minn. -- Freshman forward Susanna Tapani paced North Dakota to a 2-1 victory and a weekend sweep of Minnesota State-Mankato on Saturday afternoon.
Tapani scored both goals for UND, while fellow Europeans Andrea Dalen and Michelle Karvinen both pick up one assist each.
Freshman netminder Lexie Shaw made 21 saves for her fourth win of the season.
