Erie, Pa. – Sophomore Jess Jones recorded her second career hat trick, scoring once shorthanded, at even strength and on the power play, as the No. 1 Mercyhurst women's hockey team downed Robert Morris 6-2 Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Additionally, Vicki Bendus registered her 100th career point in the game on an assist in the first period.

The Colonials staked a 1-0 lead, but Mercyhurst stormed back with five unanswered goals to take command on the way to a 6-2 victory.

The Lakers improved to 13-1-1, 4-0-1 in CHA play. Mercyhurst is on a seven game unbeaten streak, having gone 6-0-1 during that stretch. Robert Morris falls to 5-11-1, 0-4-1 in conference action.

Robert Morris took an early lead, as Sara O'Malley lit the lamp at 9:02 converting a pass from Brianna Delaney. The Colonials' lead lasted 25 seconds, as Vicki Bendus won a faceoff back to Jess Jones, who fired a shot from the circle past Daneca Butterfield at 9:29 to knot the game at 1-1.

Later in the first period, Robert Morris earned a power play, but Mercyhurst seized control of the game with two shorthanded goals in a 19 second span to build a 3-1 lead at 13:01. The Lakers spent a majority of the penalty kill in the RMU zone, and Ashley Cockell rifled a shot into the twine at 12:42 for a 2-1 lead.

Kelley Steadman then added a shorthanded goal of her own, with Bailey Bram assisting at 13:01. Mercyhurst outshot the Colonials 16-5 in the first period.

The Lakers added two more markers in the second period, with Jones taking a pass from Bram, and tucking a shot inside the right post at 2:28 for her second of the game. Bendus registered a goal while on the penalty kill, taking a clearing attempt from Cassea Schols and turning it into a skillful breakaway goal to give Mercyhurst a 5-1 edge.

Robert Morris responded with a power play goal at 17:34 of the second period, trimming the margin to three goals at 5-2.

Jones completed her second career hat trick early in the third period, scoring with the man advantage at 1:38, with Bendus and Bram assisting. The Laker defense held shots to a minimum, and Hillary Pattenden shut the door late, preserving the 6-2 win.

Pattenden made 16 saves in her 13th win of the season, while Butterfield stopped 32 shots.

Jones' hat trick was the second of her career, as she struck three times March 6, 2009 in the CHA semifinal against Niagara. She is also the third Laker to record a hat trick this season, as Jesse Scanzano and Bram did so earlier in 2009-10.

Bendus has become the 10th Mercyhurst women's hockey player to score 100 points in her career, as her total now stands at 102 following a three-point afternoon. Scanzano was the ninth player to pass the 100-point milestone.

Bram set a career high and Mercyhurst season high with four assists. The last Laker to record four helpers in one game was Meghan Agosta, who performed the feat March 6, 2009 against Niagara.

The Lakers scored three times while shorthanded, the first time Mercyhurst has registered three SHG's in the same game since an 11-1 win over Quinnipiac Oct. 16, 2004. Mercyhurst also scored twice in the same penalty kill, the second time they have done so this season. The team has set a new single-season program record with 12 shorthanded goals, breaking the mark set in 2004-05.

The Lakers and Colonials will complete the weekend series with a 1 p.m. game Sunday, Dec. 6 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.