Complete Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - The ninth-ranked Mercyhurst women's hockey team scored twice in the game's first 45 seconds and went on from there to down Yale 9-1 in a non-conference hockey game Friday afternoon at the Ice Center. The Lakers won their sixth straight game and improved to 7-2 -0 on the season. Yale dropped to 1-9-0.

Mercyhurst led 5-1 after the opening twenty minutes of play. Freshman forward Shelby Bram started the scoring with her fourth goal of the season, from sister, Bailey, and Christine Bestland just 21 seconds into the contest. Junior forward Lauren Jones collected back-to-back scores at :45 and 3:23. She was helped by senior Jess Jones on her third of the season and by both freshman defender Vaila Higson and Jones on her second of the period and fourth of the campaign.

The lead grew to 5-0 on goals by freshman Molly Byrne, her first collegiate, and Bestland, her seventh of the year and second shorthanded tally of the season, at 6:54 and 10:23 respectively. Wayne State transfer Gina Buquet and sophomore Christie Cicero had helpers on the Lakers' fourth marker while Bailey Bram and Byrne aided on the fifth goal.

Yale changed goaltenders after the Lakers made it 4-0. Senior Genny Ladiges, who allowed four goals on eight shots, was replaced by freshman Jaimie Leonoff. Although Leonoff was the victim of Bestland's shorthanded strike, she seemed to settle the Bulldogs down. Yale cut into the Mercyhurst lead when freshman Stephanie Mock scored a power play goal at 14:31 to conclude first period scoring. Mercyhurst outshot Yale 19-5 in the firdst twenty minutes.

Mercyhurst's Jess Jones scored the lone goal in the middle period when she beat Leonoff at 9:24. She was aided by forward  Kelley Steadman and defender Jill Szandzik. The Lakers outshot the Bulldogs 18-10 in the second period.
   
Mercyhurst scored three more times in the third. Bailey Bram, assisted by Bestland and sister, Shelby, made it 7-1 at 3:44. Bailey then scored her team-leading 11th goal of the season, shorthanded, at 9:59, assisted by Jess Jones. Then, Steadman ended the scoring with her ninth goal of the year, from Lauren Jones and defender Pamela Zgoda at 18:13. The Lakers outshot the Bulldogs 28-5 in the third period and 65-20 for the 60 minutes.

Yale finished 1-of-8 with the skater advantage while Mercyhurst wound up 1-of-5.

Senior Hillary Pattenden picked up the victory, playing the first two periods. She stopped 14-of-15 Yale shots to improve to 6-2-0 overall on the season. It was her 86th career victory, now just five wins shy of tying the NCAA Division I record of 91 held by Wisconsin's Jessie Vetter. Freshman Amanda Makela played the final period and stopped five shots.

Genny Ladiges started for Yale, but lasted just 6:54, allowing four goals on eight shots. Jaimie Leonoff came on in relief and stopped 52-of-57.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. The Lakers now lead the all-time series 9-0-1.