Box Score

ERIE, Pa. – The fourth-ranked Mercyhurst University women's hockey team defeated Penn State University on Saturday afternoon, 7-1. Sophomore Molly Byrne notched a goal and two assists towards the Laker victory.
 
The Lakers improve to 14-1-1 on the season and remain undefeated with a record of 6-0-0 in the conference.  Mercyhurst is on a nine-game winning streak and has not lost since losing 3-0 at home to now #2 Clarkson on October 19.  Penn State fell to 5-10-1 overall, and 1-8-1 in the CHA.
 
Penn State dented the board first at 8:29 of the first period, ending Mercyhurst's opponent's scoreless streak at 303:04. Jess Desorcie scored her third goal of the season when Taylor Gross took a shot on net, forcing senior goaltender Stephanie Ciampa away from the goal.  Gross then passed the rebound to Desorcie who had an open net, giving the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead. 
 
Four minutes later, Byrne tied the contest at one, when she scored in the top left hand corner of the net one minute into a four on four opportunity. Byrne's unassisted goal marked her seventh of the season.  The Lakers held a 20 to four shot advantage heading into the second period.
 
Freshman Jaclyn Arbour scored her first collegiate goal and, what proved to be the game-winning goal at the 9:04 mark of the second period.  Freshman Kathy Donohue won her faceoff and took a shot on net.  Arbour capitalized on Penn State goaltender Nicole Paniccia, sliding the rebound past the Nittany Lion netminder to give the Lakers a 2-1 lead.  Sophomore Vaila Higson extended the lead to two goals at 11:46, notching her fifth goal of the season. 
 
Mercyhurst caught fire in the third period, scoring four times to put the game away.  Lauren Jones scored her sixth goal of the season 2:04 into the third.  Junior captain Christine Bestland scored her 13th goal of the season, the only power-play goal of the game, at the 12:29 mark.  Arbour notched her second goal of the afternoon at 16:15, and freshman Maggie Rothgery scored her first collegiate goal at 17:09 to complete the 7-1 victory.
 
All told Mercyhurst totaled 71 shots on goal on the afternoon to Penn State's ten. 
 
Ciampa made ten saves and allowed one goal.  She saw her consecutive minutes scoreless streak come to an end at 182:10.  Paniccia made 64 saves for the Nittany Lions.
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Bestland and Higson both scored two goals and dished out three assists apiece over the weekend.  Byrne scored five points on a goal and four assists in the two-game sweep. 
 
Sophomore Shelby Bram is on a five game scoring streak, notching a goal and two assists over the weekend.
 
Mercyhurst will look to avenge last season's CHA Championship setback next weekend when the Lakers travel to Robert Morris University on Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8. Faceoffs are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. respectively.