ROCHESTER, N.Y. – In a rematch of last year's Atlantic Hockey Association title tilt, Mercyhurst College (22-15-3) suffered a 2-0 setback to defending tournament champion Air Force (27-10-2). 

Air Force enjoyed a 33-25 shot advantage for the game as the Lakers' struggled to generate offense after posting five goals in a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory against RIT the night before. 

The Falcons have earned the Atlantic Hockey Association's automatic qualifying bid for the NCAA Division I national tournament for the third year in a row. Air Force posted a thrilling 5-4 double-overtime victory over Mercyhurst in 2008.

Air Force's first-team all-conference goalie Andrew Volkening posted his second consecutive shutout, recording a 3-0 whitewashing against Bentley in the semifinals. 

“They did a great job of not letting us get going,” said Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin. “We just didn't have what it took tonight. We had the effort. We did the things we needed to do. They just held us down pretty good. I thought the better team won tonight. They will be a great representative for us (AHA) again in the national tournament.” 

Air Force opened the scoring blitz when AHA Player of the Year Jacques Lamoureaux redirected a shot, catching the wide part of the net to give the Falcons the early lead that would hold through the first period. Neither teams' offense could connect despite ample opportunities in the opening stanza; with Air Force holding a 12-9 advantage in shot as the Lakers Ryan Zapolski recorded 11 saves to Volkening's nine stops. 

Matt Fairchild extended the Falcons lead to 2-0 after he caught the rebound and flipped it into the net just one minute, 11 seconds into the second period. The Laker defense would play tough for the remainder of the period but its offense continued to run cold with the Falcons outshooting the Lakers 16-5. 

The third period saw the Lakers' offense start to take form, mustering 11 shots while holding Air Force to just five, but a stingy Falcon defense shut down the nation's top scoring offense one more time to secure the victory. 

Neither team connected for a power-play strike, as Mercyhurst went 0-for-6 with the extra man and Air Force saw six power plays come up empty. 

In a battle of the top two goaltenders in the conference, Zapolski made 31 saves, allowing two goals, while Volkening recorded a 25-save shutout. 

Fairchild was named Tournament MVP and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team with the Lakers Scott Pitt, Cameron Burt (RIT), Greg Flynn (Air Force), Scott Mathis (Air Force) and Volkening (Air Force). 

Saturday marked Mercyhurst's third conference final appearance in their six years as a member of the AHA, as the Lakers won the conference tournament championship March 19, 2005, 3-2 in overtime against Quinnipiac. Additionally, Mercyhurst has made the conference final six out of ten years as a NCAA Division I hockey program, having made the NCAA tournament in 2001 and 2003 as a MAAC school, and in 2005 in the AHA. 

The Lakers were held scoreless for just the second time all season, and first since falling 5-0 at Alaska-Fairbanks Oct. 17, 2008. 

The Lakers' 22 wins in 2008-09 are tied for the second most in the Lakers' 10-year tenure in NCAA Division I hockey. 

The 16-team NCAA Championship field will be announced Sunday, March 22 at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2.