The frustrating losses are adding up dangerously quick as the Engineers, only in their third week of play, are sporting a 0-3 record following a pair of losses to the University of North Dakota. The women are now going into a set of games against Boston University looking for the elusive win.

The team would have been undefeated just like last season if not for a few small events that changed the outcomes of these close games. To put it all in perspective, a few losses doesn't break the season—especially one where the team was predicted to finish 11th out of 12—but on the stats sheet, a loss is a loss. In order to get that playoff bid, the team must start to build up a solid record.

Although the team has lost its first few games, many things have been going right—including taking an early lead in the last game—and that's what makes the losses so frustrating.

In their first game of the season, RPI kept time with Boston College, a top-ten team, until an unlucky call by the referee and a high-quality play by Allie Thunstrom to put BC in lead.

The Friday night match saw University of North Dakota take the lead on a power play goal by Samantha Bowers. Sophomore Nicole McDonald took things into her own hands in the second period and tied up the game seven minutes in.

It wasn't five minutes before UND took a 2-1 lead with an unassisted goal by Alex Williams. Then, the Sioux added an insurance goal early in the final period of play to seal the deal and hand the Engineers a non-conference 3-0 loss. Despite RPI’s 33 shots on goal and 11 power plays, the women couldn't convert enough to beat out the Sioux in their home opener.

The next night, the Engineers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. The first goal, by freshman Whitney Naslund, was assisted by senior captain Sarah Daniel and sophomore Melissa Boik. Boik then netted the second goal with an assist from junior Julie Aho.

The Engineers, disappointingly, could not defend their lead as the hard-playing Sioux came charging back with a score in the middle of the second, followed by a pair of goals in two and a half minutes during the middle of the third.

Again, RPI could not convert the 33 shots on goal, compared to UND's 15, and suffered another loss. Goalie Emily Ford put up a good first showing, with 12 saves, and received help from her defense, who only allowed a single shot on net in the first period.

The women travel to Boston on Friday to remind the Terriers that Rensselaer started their season last year with 10 wins and is looking to start a streak of that magnitude again. Last season, the team had little problem disposing of the Terriers, beating them 7-3 and 5-3, and hopes to repeat the routing.