ST. LOUIS, Mo. - #8 Mercyhurst stretched its winning streak to four with a 7-0 win over NCAA-newcomer Lindenwood Friday night in the opening game of a two-game weekend series. The Lakers improved to 5-2-0 while the Lions fell to 0-9-0.

Sophomore forward Christie Cicero scored the only goal the Lakers would need when she beat Lindenwood netminder Taylor Fairchild at 5:10 of the first period. Senior defender Jill Szandzik assisted on the period's lone goal. It was Cicero's second lamplighter of the season. Mercyhurst outshot Lindenwood 18-4 in the opening twenty minutes.

The Lakers opened a 4-0 lead after two periods and expanded the margin to 7-0 by game's end. Senior forward Bailey Bram tallied her seventh goal of the season a minute into the middle period. Sophomore winger Christine Bestland cashed her fourth marker of the season at 13:51 and, a bit more than two minutes later, senior forward Jess Jones scored her first of the campaign.  The Lakers had a 29-6 advantage in second period shots.

Mercyhuurst  scored three more goals in the last five minutes of the third period. Bestland notched her second of the game and fifth of the season at 15:11 followed by the first collegiate goals for both freshman defender Vaila Higson at 16:48 and Shelby Bram at 19:47. Mercyhurst outshot Lindenwood 27-4 in the third period and 74-14 for the sixty minutes.

Senior Hillary Pattenden recorded her third successive shutout as she improved her record to 5-2-0. She raised her save percentage to .957 and lowered her goals-against-average to 1.13. She owns 85 career wins, just six shy of tying the NCAA record.

Eight different Lakers had at least one point and six different Lakers scored a goal.

Mercyhurst sustained only one minor penalty in the contest while the Lions were hit with five penalties for ten minutes. Jones and Higson's goals came with the Lakers up a player.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET.

Mercyhurst will start a seven-game homestand Wednesday, November 2, with an exhibition game against the Brampton Thunder, marking the return of 2010 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, Vicki Bendus. After a bye weekend, the Lakers will play Yale November 18 and 19 at the Ice Center.