TROY, N.Y. – Seniors Jillian Saulnier (2g-1a) and Brianne Jenner (1g-2a) each tallied three point efforts, as tenth-ranked women's hockey came back from a 1-0 first intermission deficit to down Rensselaer 4-1 at Houston Field House on Friday evening. The win puts the Big Red in position to control its own destiny for home ice in the first round of the ECAC Hockey Championship quarterfinals heading into the final day of regular season play on Saturday. Cornell can secure a first round series at Lynah Rink with two points against Union.
 
Sophomore Kaitlyn Doering added a powerplay goal to give Cornell (15-10-3, 13-6-3 ECAC Hockey) some breathing room deep into the third period. Senior Emily Fulton added a pair of helpers, while juniors Cassandra Poudrier and Taylor Woods, and sophomore Hanna Bunton each added one apple apiece.
 
The two assist effort from Jenner pulled her into a tie with Cindy Warren (1977-81) for first on the program list with 130 career helpers. Her goal also pulled her within three of tying Cyndy Schlaepfer (1975-78) for fourth on team's all-time list.
 
Saulnier's big night also brought her closer to moving up the program's all-time marks for points and goals. Her pair of tallies brings the senior winger within two of tying Sunshine Lorenz (1974-78) for eighth, while her three-point evening brings her within two of tying Rebecca Johnston (2007-11) for sixth in points. She now sits at 73 career goals and 186 career points.
 
Sophomore netminder Paula Voorheis (W, 13-10-3) turned in a strong effort to snap the team's three-game losing skid. She stopped 23-of-24 shots, blanking the Engineers over the final two periods to allow the Big Red to complete the comeback bid.
 
While the final score would speak otherwise, Cornell had to battle hard to dispatch the Engineers on the road, in stark contrast to the meeting just three weekends past at Lynah. Rensselaer killed off one Big Red powerplay, before converting on their second advantage of the game towards the conclusion of the opening period.
 
With Woods in the box for tripping, the Engineers controlled an attacking zone faceoff with just over one-minute left in the advantage. Amanda Kimmerle controlled the puck at the left point, before sending a backhand saucer pass to Kathryn Shilter at the center point. She quickly moved the puck to Alex Gruschow who found herself with time and space in the left circle. She loaded up a wrister that beat Voorheis to the short side with a substantial screen in front, staking the home squad to the 1-0 lead, which they would take to the intermission.
 
The Big Red wasted little time to mount a comeback in the second period, scoring twice in the opening 8:30 to grab a lead the team would not relinquish. Saulnier netted her third goal over the last two games just 3:28 into the period, deflecting home a Fulton shot from the high slot. Working on the rush, Saulnier fed Fulton on the right wing. The senior shuffled a puck to the net front looking for a deflection from Jenner, but the puck drifted just wide, going behind the cage. Jenner followed up the play to wrap the puck up the right wing boards back to Fulton. She made a great play to win the puck battle and peel towards the middle of the ice, before firing a wrister that bounced off Saulnier and past Rensselaer goaltender Brianna Piper.
 
Jenner put the Big Red up five minutes later. Controlling the puck in the offensive zone, Poudrier and Saulnier played catch at the point. Poudrier fired a slapper that was initially kicked away by Piper. Jenner pounced on the loose puck down along the end line at the left side of the net. She powered between the stick checking of two Engineer defenders, before slipping the puck five-hole into the cage for the 2-1 lead.
 
The score would remain the same until late in the third period, when Doering finally gave the Big Red some breathing room with the first of two powerplay goals in the period. The second powerplay unit executed a down low play to perfection, as Woods looped behind the net and worked the puck back behind the net to a wide open Hanna Bunton. She cut from out behind the net and tried a wraparound attempt that was denied, but Doering pounced on the rebound in the crease and slammed it past Piper for a 3-1 lead.
 
Saulnier capped the scoring with a late game powerplay with just over three minutes to play. It was another beautiful skill play between the three seniors. Fulton again found loads of space this time at the left half wall, so she moved to the top of the left circle. She finessed a pass to Jenner between the circles, who quickly moved down along the end line to the left of the cage. Saulnier made an adept play to take the pass and move it to the backhand and shuffle it into the cage, before Piper could slide over to deny her at the back door.
 
Cornell will wrap up regular season play tomorrow afternoon when it takes on Union at Messa Rink in Schenectady, N.Y. Opening puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.