Erie, Pa. – Junior captain
Meghan Agosta and sophomore
Jesse Scanzano combined for nine points as the No. 3 Mercyhurst College women's hockey team sent its seniors out in style with an 8-1 win over Niagara on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers, winners of 10 straight, improve to 25-5-0 overall and 14-0-0 in College Hockey America play while Niagara falls to 4-24-4 on the season and 1-11-2 in CHA action.
Agosta scored her fourth consecutive hat-trick and added an assist for four points while Scanzano netted a goal and four helpers for five points. Sophomore assistant captain
Vicki Bendus and freshmen
Jess Jones and
Bailey Bram combined to equal the performance with a goal and two assists apiece.
Prior to face-off, Mercyhurst honored its senior class of
Nicole Nelson,
Hayley McMeekin, assistant captain
Valerie Chouinard and
Courtney Drennen with a special pre-game ceremony recapping their accolades and accomplishments with the team.
Despite the festivities and lightened environment, Mercyhurst was forced to play the entire first period down 1-0 after Jacqueline Spring scored on the team's first shot of the game at 1:48. The Purple Eagles kept the score intact as goaltender Nikki Rudy turned aside all 17 shots she faced. She made 30 saves before being replaced by Amanda Rowe in the third.
The Lakers cracked Rudy in the second period, scoring four times on 17 shots to take a 4-1 advantage. Jones tied the game with her 11th of the year at 1:21 before Agosta netted the eventual game-winner less than six minutes later on the power-play at 6:29. Bendus then increased the lead to two with a short-handed score at 9:49 while Agosta wrapped up the frame with her second of the contest at 16:10.
Mercyhurst finished the game with four scores in the third. After Agosta completed her hat-trick at 6:37, the Lakers tacked in three quick markers within a 2:37 span. Bram got in on the action at 17:05 followed by Scanzano at 18:47 and sophomore
Ashley Cockell at 19:42.
Drennen earned the win with nine saves through nearly 49 minutes of play before Nelson closed out the contest with three stops. Mercyhurst outshot Niagara, 60-13.
On special teams, the Lakers converted 1-for-5 on the power-play while Niagara finished with a 0-for-3 mark.
Mercyhurst closes out the regular season next weekend with a two-game series at Wayne State on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28.
