Kolbee McCrea '14 recorded a hat trick to lead nationally ranked No. 1 Rochester Institute of Technology to a 7-1 win against Hamilton College in a non-conference women's ice hockey game at Hamilton's Russell Sage Rink on Dec. 10.
McCrea is tied for the team lead in goals with 11. Sarah Dagg '11 chipped in one goal and two assists. Katie Stack '11 scored her 11th goal and added an assist. Carley King '13 made 15 saves and improved her record in goal to 4-0.
The score was tied at 1-1 after one period, but RIT broke the game open with four goals in the second. The Continentals' win streak ended at three games.
The Tigers (13-0-0 overall) grabbed a 1-0 lead with 6:37 left in the first period when Dagg redirected a shot by Melissa Bromley '14 at the right post and into the goal. Katie Zimmerman '13 energized the home crowd and tied the score with her second goal of the season with 3:02 remaining in the period. Zimmerman caused a turnover in the RIT zone, skated in alone on the goalie, shifted the puck to her backhand and scored.
The Tigers didn't waste any time in the second period against Hamilton goalie Becca Hazlett '13. Traci Galbraith '11 skated across the blue line and fired a slap shot that sailed over Hazlett's left shoulder just 13 seconds into the period. RIT made the score 3-1 at 7:19 of the second after the Tigers killed a power-play chance for the Continentals. After the ensuing rush down the ice to Hamilton's zone, McCrea stuffed a loose puck into the back of the net.
RIT tallied its fourth goal of the game during a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity with 3:38 left in the second period on the 10th goal this season by Erin Zach '14. McCrea gave the Tigers a four-goal cushion with 1:24 remaining in the period on a wrist shot from the slot. McCrea notched her third goal of the evening on a breakaway opportunity while RIT was shorthanded at 8:10 of the third period. Stack completed the scoring with 6:39 left when she spun around and swept a backhand into the goal from the bottom of the right circle.
Hazlett and Tori Bogen '14 combined to stop 39 shots for the Continentals (3-5-0). The Tigers lead the all-time series 16-2-2.
Hamilton is off until Wednesday, Jan. 5, when the Continentals travel to SUNY Cortland for another non-conference game. RIT plays at Adrian College on Friday, Jan. 7.
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