Jan. 26, 2007

Stats

New Haven, CT - Freshman forward Meghan Agosta wouldn't let it happen. Agosta had her first four-goal and five-point game as #1 Mercyhurst survived a scare from Yale Friday before defeating the Bulldogs 5-4. The Lakers improved to 22-1-2 overall while Yale dropped to 11-10-1.Mercyhurst is unbeaten in its last 13 games, 12-0-1.

The Lakers, who'd been giving up about 1.5 goals-per-game, allowed three scores in the first period as the Bulldogs led 3-2 after twenty minutes. All five first-period goals came within an eleven-minute span and four came within a six-minute gap. Sophomore forward Maggie Westfal put Yale ahead at 7:58 when she knocked one past Mercyhurst junior Laura Hosier for her second of the season. Agosta tied the game five minutes later with a shorthanded goal, her 23rd lamplighter of the year. But Yale freshman winger Denise Soesilo put the Bulldogs back in front with her fifth of the year, on the same power play, just 22 seconds later. Junior assistant captain Stephanie Jones knotted the game at 16:24 on a power play with her eighth of the year, but the Bulldogs went to intermission with a 3-2 advantage when senior Kristin Savard cashed her seventh of the campaign with a minute left in the period. Mercyhurst outshot Yale 20-6 in the opening period but, surprisingly, found itself one goal behind.

Agosta went to work again in the second and finished her second career hat trick, and second in as many games, with an even strength goal at 12:43 and a power play score at 19:59. The Lakers held the Bulldogs to just two shots in the second period and owned a 33-8 advantage in two periods.

Agosta finished her four-goal game, and the Lakers' first since freshman forwards Seanna Murphy and K.C. Gallo performed the trick in the same game at Holy Cross in November of 1999, when she found the back of the net on another power play opportunity at 7:59 of the third.. The Bulldogs didn't go quietly, however. Sophomore winger Crysti Howser banged home her 13th of the year at 13:45 for the game's final score. The Bulldogs pulled junior netminder Shivon Zilis for the final 90 seconds, but couldn't get the tying goal.

The Lakers fired 22 shots in the third for a commanding 55-15 margin for the game. The Lakers finished 3 of 7 with the skater advantage and have now scored multiple power play goals in six successive games. Yale was 1 of 4.

Agosta also assisted on the Jones' goal for her first-ever five-point game. Her 13-game scoring streak (20g, 14a) and her 12-game goal-scoring streak are team records. She now has 26 goals this season, just one shy of the one-season mark of 27 set by Gallo in 1999-2000, the program's first year. Sophomore Valerie Chouinard was the only other Mercyhurst player with multiple points. She finished with three helpers.

Despite allowing four goals, Hosier improved to 18-1-1 this season. Her 18 victories are second only to the one-season mark of 26 set by Desirae Clark in 2003-04, when the Lakers posted a 26-6-4 mark.

Mercyhurst will play at Quinnipiac Saturday night at 7. The Lakers and Bobcats (7-19-1) will play the first-ever hockey game in Quinnipiac's new facility, the 3,500-seat TD Banknorth Sports Center. Quinnipiac lost to visiting Niagara 4-0 Friday afternoon in its final contest at the Northford Ice Pavilion. The Lakers improved to 9-0-1 lifetime against Yale and are 7-0-0 lifetime against Quinnipiac.