Mercyhurst University Athletics

Jim Cooper

Women's Ice Hockey 2/20/2009 11:03:12 PM John Leisering, Director of Hockey Operations

Agosta, Lakers Dispose of Niagara, 7-0

Erie, Pa. - Junior forward Meghan Agosta scored four times and freshman goalie Hillary Pattenden collected her 18th win of the season Friday as the No. 3 Mercyhurst College women's hockey team blanked Niagara 7-0 in a College Hockey America (CHA) game at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers, winners of 21 of their last 22, improve to 24-5-0 overall and to 13-0-0 in CHA.

Agosta notched her 27th goal of the season at 8:52 of the first to give Pattenden and the Lakers the only goal they would need. Five minutes later, sophomore winger Jesse Scanzano cashed her 23rd of the year on the third of six power play opportunities the Lakers would receive in
the contest. Mercyhurst outshot Niagara 17-3 in the first 20 minutes.

The lead ballooned to 5-0 after forty minutes as the home team tallied three times within a 3-and-a-half minute span late in the middle frame. Agosta scored back-to-back at 13:22 (power play) and 15:37 while senior Valerie Chouinard scored her first of two at 16:58.

Agosta (14:39) and Chouinard (15:46) closed the scoring in the third. Agosta's four goals allowed her to become the first Mercyhurst player to hit the 200-career point total.

Pattenden (18-2-0) was pulled for senior Nicole Nelson and Niagara starter, senior Nikki Rudy (0-4-0), left for junior Amanda Rowe with 4:14 left in the game.

Mercyhurst outshot the Purple Eagles 43-15 and scored a pair of power play goals in six tries. Niagara finished 0 for 5.

The Lakers will conduct "Senior Day" tomorrow, which will be the final regular season home game for goalies Nelson and Courtney Drennen and forwards Hayley McMeekin and Chouinard.

Mercyhurst will then close the regular season the following weekend with a pair of games at the CHA second-place team, Wayne State. The Lakers will host the conference playoffs March 5 through March 7.

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