Box Score
MOON TWP, Pa. – The fourth-ranked Mercyhurst women's hockey team lost to Robert Morris University, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon. The Lakers ended the 2012 portion of the season with an overall record 14-3-1 and 6-2-0 in College Hockey America (CHA). Robert Morris improved to 9-3-2 in the season and 5-2-0 in the CHA.
The Lakers came out strong in the first period, dominating the shots on goal 20-to-6 including five during two power-play opportunities. But the Robert Morris' defense, backstopped by goaltender Kristen DiCiocco, weathered the onslaught. The two teams went to their dressing rooms tied 0-0.
Robert Morris dented the scoreboard with back to back power-play goals in the second period. The Colonials' Dayna Newsom scored her second goal of the season at the 3:41 mark of the second. Thea Imbrogno then scored the Colonials' second goal three minutes later to give the Colonials' a 2-0 advantage heading into the third.
The Lakers kept the pressure on, outshooting Robert Morris 32-to-19 over two peiods, but trailed by two.
The Lakers finally broke through DiCiocco when sophomore
Shelby Bram narrowed the gap to one with a power play marker at 14:21 of the third. Sophomore
Christie Cicero and junior captain
Christine Bestland had the assists.
Mercyhurst pulled senior goaltender
Stephanie Ciampa with one minute remaining in the contest, but couldn't manufacture the tying goal. The Lakers outshot Robert Morris 41-to-23, but DiCiocco made 40 saves to pick up her eighth win of the season.
Mercyhurst senior goaltender
Stephanie Ciampa made 21 saves in suffering the first loss of her career.
The Lakers finished 1 of 4 on the power play and 1 of 11 in the two-game weekend series. The Colonials scored four of their five weekend goals with the skater advantage, going 2 of 5 Saturday and 4 of 13 in the two games.
The Lakers don't play again until January 3, 2013 when they host the Buffalo Bison in an exhibition game. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. Mercyhurst also will hold its third annual Skate with the Lakers on Friday, December 14 from 3:45 to 5:45.
