TROY, NY - The University of Rochester couldn't muster much offensive pressure in a 1-0 loss to host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in a Liberty League field hockey matchup on Friday evening at Harkness Field.
 
The Yellowjackets (10-4, 2-2 Liberty League) were coming off a 1-0 victory of their own on Monday, but found themselves on the wrong side of Friday's affair to the Engineers who improve to 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
 
RPiI would open the scoring in the early going, getting a goal from Mikaela DiBello at the 6:23 mark.  After a scramble in front, Jena Nawfel found DiBello who slipped her shot past UR goalie Tara Lamberti for the 1-0 lead and eventual only goal of the contest.
 
In the 17th minute, Rochester had a good chance to equalize, but Michelle Relin's shot went wide.  The play was set up by a nice pass from teammate Callie Fisher along the right wing, who slotted it inside the circle to Relin.
 
Eight minutes later, RPI's DiBello and Angelo Cascio each had point blank chances in front of the UR cage, but were turned away by Lamberti who recovered nicely after the early goal, saving five shots total in the game.
 
Late in the first half, Relin broke in the circle and earned her own chance in front of the RPI net, but also saw her opportunity turned away by RPI goalie Rachel Kaufman.  Kaufman finished with four saves in earning the shutout.  At the halftime break, UR had a 7-4 shot advantage and 3-1 edge in corners.
 
The Engineers started out the second half strong, and carried that momentum into earning the key conference victory.  In the opening five minutes of the second, RPI had four shots and recorded two penalty corners.
 
Around the 43rd minute mark, RPI had a goal disallowed after a penalty corner shot was illegally hit into the net, keeping the score at 1-0.
 
Rochester's best offensive output of the game came around the 49th minute.  The Yellowjackets chances came in the form of three shots and three penalty corners all in a two minute span.  Relin had the best chance to score for the 'Jackets, blasting a hard PC shot that was kicked away by Kaufman.
 
10 minutes later, RPI's Jane Edgington came in on the Rochester goal on a breakaway, looking for an insurance goal, but Lamberti made a strong play to come off the line and stop the shot with a diving save.  The Engineers wouldn't need that insurance goal though, as the defense played well down the stretch playing the passing lanes and forcing many UR turnovers to complete the shutout.
 
Overall in the contest, the Engineers used the second half surge to pull even in shots 11-11 while earning one more penalty corner, holding a 7-6 advantage.
 
Rochester's next game is a home tilt against Elmira on Tuesday at 6 pm.