POTSDAM, N.Y. (Interstat) — Sara Manness had two goals and an assist, Layla Matthew scored twice and the Clarkson Golden Knights opened their women’s NCAA Division I hockey season with a 6-3 victory over the visiting RIT Tigers on Friday at Cheel Arena. Clarkson improved to 1-0. RIT fell to 0-1. Attendance was 796. The Golden Knights built a 2-0 lead after the first period, then answered an RIT goal with another before pulling away with three third-period goals. The Golden Knights scored six goals, while the Tigers finished with three. It was the season opener for both teams. The Golden Knights controlled play after the opening faceoff. The game was the first of a two-game series between the programs.

Clarkson took control early. After RIT’s Brac Kelley was sent off for slashing at 6:44 of the first period, Ciara Lang opened the scoring at 6:49 from Jessie Pellerin and Manness. Lang, a defenseman from Sherwood Park, Canada, also added an assist and a hit. Layla Matthew made it 2-0 at 7:30 from Sydney Lamb and Shelby Laidlaw. Matthew, a left wing from Edmonton, Canada, finished with two goals and five shots. She was later called for bodychecking at 11:02. The Golden Knights carried the two-goal lead into the first intermission.

RIT got on the board in the second period when Zoe Ziotas scored at 36:40. Clarkson answered quickly. Sara Manness restored a two-goal cushion at 39:23 with assists from Kennedy Sisson and Manon Le Scodan. Manness, a center from LaSalle, Canada, who previously played for Burlington Barracudas, led the Golden Knights with two goals, one assist and three shots. The period included penalties to Clarkson’s Kaitlyn Mallette for tripping at 23:08 and Paige Wallace for tripping at 27:16, plus an RIT tripping call on Addie Alvarez at 32:32.

Clarkson pulled away in the third. After an RIT bodychecking penalty on Alvarez at 43:18, Sisson scored at 50:33 from Lang. Sisson, a right wing from Lake Country, Canada, had one goal, one assist and five shots. Matthew added her second goal at 53:14 from Raedyn Spademan and Laidlaw. Manness capped the Golden Knights’ burst at 54:53 from Le Scodan. RIT kept pushing. Alvarez scored at 57:09, and after Isabelle Goettl was sent off for tripping at 57:48, Laura Dyke scored at 58:01 from Madison Buziak and Ireland Stein. Arianne Leblanc finished with 18 saves on 21 shots for Clarkson.

Le Scodan, a left wing from Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France, contributed two assists and one shot. Lang had one goal, one assist, three shots and one hit. Laidlaw, a center from Aylmer, Canada, added two assists and two shots. Spademan, Lamb and Pellerin each recorded one assist and four shots. Spademan is a right wing from Cochrane, Canada. Lamb, a defenseman from Lombard, Ill., previously played at St. Cloud State. Pellerin, a center from Bowmanville, Canada, previously played at Providence College. Leblanc, a goaltender from Repentigny, Canada, earned the win. Manness was named the top star for Clarkson.

Clarkson and RIT will meet again in the second game of the series. RIT’s upcoming schedule includes that rematch, followed by games against Colgate, Delaware, Brown, Northeastern and Penn State. The Tigers will host Delaware for two games, Brown for two, Northeastern for two and Penn State. Clarkson will next face RIT, then travel to Connecticut for two games before a home-and-home series with Saint Lawrence. The Golden Knights also have home games against Franklin Pierce and Providence, plus a trip to Harvard.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Clarkson 4, RIT 2. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Clarkson with an 85.3 percent probability to win.