RPI still searching for 1st win
The final goal in RPI’s 3-2 loss to Maine on Saturday could be debated. There might have been goalie interference with just more than seven minutes to play. That no- call might have been the difference between a win and a loss.
Regardless, the Lydia Murray goal eventually would be the game-winner as the Engineers dropped to 0- 4 on the season in Bryan Vines’ season as Interim head coach.
“We’re not focused on (our record) right now,” Vines said. :Nobody wants to start the season 0- 4. But we’re not focused on that.
I told the team last night that I was proud of them.”
It’s been a tough start for an RPI team that’s been out- shot 148- 91 on the season, and out- scored 134. The program turned to Vines in late June after curiously firing 14-year head coach John Burke with little explanation at an odd time. And the hope of quickly turning around the program, especially as an interim, probably isn’t feasible.
The Engineers showed solid fight on Saturday afternoon, especially being forced to play some forwards on defense because of injuries. They twice came back from one- goal deficits, but were unable to mount a third comeback. RPI will travel down I- 90 to RIT next week, still seeking a win.
“It’s definitely been an adjustment,” said Sabrina Repaci, who scored a goal on Saturday. “We have a new coaching staff. We’ve been trying to change things up. I think it’s good, we have a lot of energy going and everyone’s really bought in.”
One of the best players for RPI has been great out of sheer necessity. Goalkeeper Lovisa Selander has a 91.2 save percentage. The 13 goals in four games are more of a reflection of the volume of opportunities against her.
She couldn’t corral the game-winning goal after making one of those saves. The score came off a rebound, though she might have been interfered with. The referees reviewed the play, but quickly determined that the goal stood.
The Engineers didn’t have a viable look for the rest of the game.
“It’s always a bit of a challenge when it comes up over 30 shots (in a game),” Selander said. “But a lot of them are from the outside, we’ve just got to clean up our main area in the zone and try to get rid of some rebounds.”
Repaci, who led RPI with nine goals last season, scored her first of this season to knot the game at two. Marisa Raspa also had her first goal of the season to get the Engineers on the board.
One of the things that RPI has done well is draw penalties. They’ve recorded 34 power play minutes, and have only been on the penalty kill for 18 minutes. The next step, though, will be finding ways to convert. The offense was far from exceptional on the power play, though RPI did manage one goal with the advantage.
Vines is happy with what he’s seeing, and it seems to be a general consensus among his team. No wins in four games certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but it doesn’t seem as though success will be measured in wins for a program that has just 27 wins in the last three years total.
“I really like the team,” Vines said. “We’re playing short-handed. I’ve got two forwards playing defense and there’s no quit. That’s a good place to start as we’re building moving forward.”