TROY, N.Y. (9/19/15) – Not only did the Kean University field hockey defense post the team's fifth-straight shutout on Saturday, but Cougar backs occupied three of Kean's four scoring lines in a 2-0 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Goalie Katie DiCarlo also came up with a dozen saves to earn her fifth blank slate of the year.

Defenders Katie-Lynne Lussier and Shauna LaMaina hooked up for the game's first goal at 18:27. The play came on a penalty corner – a category where the Cougars were uncharacteristically on the short end of on Saturday. But they took advantage of that opportunity to take a 1-0 lead into halftime. It was Lussier's second goal of the season.

In the second half, RPI threw everything it had against the Kean defense, outshooting their guests 10-7 in the final 35 minutes. But the Cougars always had an answer.

Early in the half, Lussier had a goal-line save at the start of the period to keep both the lead and the shutout intact. In addition, DiCarlo made eight stops in the second half alone to run her (and Kean's) record to 8-0 on the season.

With five minutes remaining, Shauna LaMaina fed her twin sister Krista LaMaina for a goal to finally give Kean some breathing room. Krista leads to Cougars with 13 goals this year. Shauna doubled her assist count to four.

DiCarlo (pictured left) has not allowed an opponent goal in her past 341 minutes between the pipes.

The Cougars have outscored their opponents 39-2 so far this season. RPI suffered just its second defeat and fell to 4-2 on the year.

The field hockey team will remain in the North to take on Castleton University in Vermont on Sunday at 12 noon.