PITTSBURGH - Sophomore Sarah Lefort scored twice and eight other Terriers registered at least one point as the Boston University women's ice hockey team defeated Robert Morris, 5-2, on Friday night at 84 Lumber Arena.
Lefort's two goals were coupled by strikes from senior captain Louise Warren (1g, 1a), senior Taylor Holze (1g, 1a) and freshman Samantha Sutherland (1g, 1a); Sutherland's goal was the first of her collegiate career. Freshmen Sarah Steele (1a) and Maddie Elia (2a) also earned their first collegiate points as they combined for three helpers. Senior Kerrin Sperry stopped 34 shots to earn her second win of the season.
BU (2-0-1) earned the game's power play chance at the 12:23 mark of the opening period and needed just seven seconds to capitalize. Junior Kayla Tutino (2a) won the faceoff to Steele, who fired a shot from the top of the zone. Lefort was stationed in front and deftly redirected the puck past Courtney Vinet (23 saves) for her first goal of the season.
Warren extended the Terriers' lead nearly three minutes later. After the puck caromed off of Holze's skate, Elia collected it and then sprung Warren with a perfect pass. Warren streaked up the left wing and knocked home her own rebound after her initial shot was stopped. Elia became the second Terrier in the period to earn her first collegiate point.
The Colonials battled back in the second stanza to tie the game, 2-2, before BU regained its two-goal advantage. Precision passing between Sutherland, Tutino and Lefort led to the third goal at the 13:19 mark of the middle frame. Sutherland and Tutino combined to collect the puck in the neutral zone and Lefort joined the rush on the left wing. Sutherland gained the blue line and slid the puck to Tutino, who then fed Lefort on the left post for an easy finish and her second strike of the contest.
The Terriers wasted little time in making it a 4-2 game thanks to good work by Sutherland and Elia in front of the net with four minutes left in the period. Sophomore Lillian Ribeirinha-Braga's shot from the left point got through traffic and was tipped on net by Elia. Sutherland was on the doorstep to knock home the rebound, however, and celebrate her first goal in a Terrier uniform.
Sperry and the BU defense defined the third frame for the Terriers as they held Robert Morris at bay despite firing 17 shots on net. The biggest save of the final 20 minutes came with about 11:15 remaining in regulation. The puck quietly through traffic in the slot and got to Mackenzie Johnston, who was all alone at the top of the crease. Sperry was equal to the task, however, as she stoned Johnston and maintained the status quo.
Holze notched her first goal of the campaign to close the Terrier's account for the evening when she skated hard to the left post and converted a zone-wide pass from Warren. Senior Kaleigh Fratkin provided the secondary assist to extend her point streak to three. She is the only Terrier to have a point in each of the first three contests.
The two teams will take the ice again on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.