Dec. 8, 2007

Box Score

Erie, Pa. -

GALLERY

The number one team in Division I women's hockey, New Hampshire, scored five unanswered goals to subdue No. 6 Mercyhurst, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the Ice Center. The Lakers dropped to 13-3-2, while UNH improved to 16-3-0.

Mercyhurst led 1-0 after the first period on a wicked slap shot from the right circle by sophomore forward Meghan Agosta, assisted by Valerie Chouinard and Stephanie Jones.

The Lakers scored their second goal of the contest six minutes into the middle stanza as freshman winger Jesse Scanzano beat UNH freshman netminder Kayley Herman. Chouinard and Jones helped on the play.

That was all the scoring Mercyhurst had as UNH tied the contest eight minutes later on back-to-back goals from Sadie Wright-Ward.

The Lakers' best chance of regaining the lead came when Agosta was pulled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. Agosta tried a backhander against Herman but, although the puck squeezed through the pads, ot stopped just short of the goal line .

UNH scored three goals in the third period to snap the 2-2 tie, including two power-play goals 30 seconds apart to seal the victory.

There was not a lot of five-on-five action as Mercyhurst was whistled for 12 penalties while the Wildcats were caught with 11. The Lakers were 2-for-11 on the power play while UNH was 4-for-12. It was the second time this season that Mercyhurst had allowed four power play goals in a game. The Lakers survived four Boston University power play markers in a 6-5 victory on Oct. 12.

New Hampshire outshot Mercyhurst 38-28. Laker senior goaltender Laura Hosier made 33 saves while Herman stopped 26. The Wildcats spoiled Hosier's chance of tying former Laker standout Desi Clark for career wins. Hosier has 62 career victories while Clark has 63.

The loss to UNH snapped a five-game winning streak for MC and also stopped the Lakers' two-game winning streak over the Wildcats.

The loss at the MIC was the first for the Lakers this season. Mercyhurst is now 8-1-0 at home.

With one goal today, Meghan Agosta has a 12-game scoring streak.

There were no even-strength goals during the game. Mercyhurst scored two power-play goals while UNH had four goals with the player advantage and one short-handed tally. The shorty was the first scored by the Wildcats and was also the first allowed by Mercyhurst this season.

The Lakers will try to get back on track when they travel to Dartmouth next weekend, Dec. 15-16, at 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. The games will be the last ones in 2007. Last season, Mercyhurst swept a weekend series at home, defeating the Big Green 5-3 and 1-0 on Oct. 21-22.