Box Score

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – #10 Mercyhurst University women's hockey scored seven times in the final two periods to defeat RIT Saturday, 7-0.  Freshman Emily Janiga scored her first hat-trick as a Laker and added an assist. Mercyhurst finished a two-game weekend sweep.
 
The Lakers outshot RIT 39-17 throughout three periods of play.  The Lakers were 3-for-9 on the power-play while RIT was 0-for-8. 
 
Neither team scored in the first period, during which Mercyhurst had four power-plays and RIT five.  RIT had two 5-on-3 advantages but was unable to capitalize.
 
The Lakers took control in the second period, starting 8:15 into the frame when Janiga scored her first goal.  She received a pass from junior captain Christine Bestland in the neutral zone, and put a low wrist shot between the pads of RIT goaltender Ali Binnington.  Janiga would make it 2-0 at 13:11, redirecting a shot from junior Christie Cicero.  Sophomore Shelby Bram completed the period scoring with a 1:13 left, giving the Lakers a 3-0 lead.
 
The Lakers continued to pressure in the third, scoring four times in a little over eight minutes.  Bestland would score her first goal of the night at 3:40.  Sophomore Molly Byrne and senior goaltender Stephanie Ciampa would notch the assists.  Kelsey Welch, a transfer from Niagara University, finished a rebound of a shot from sophomore Vailia Higson to givethe Lakers  a 5-0 lead.  Janiga would complete her hat trick with a power-play goal at 6:31 making it 6-0.  Bestland completed the 7-0 victory with a power play goal of her own at 12:00.
 
Janiga scored a hat trick and added an assist, Bestland had two goals and two assists, and Cicero had three helpers for the Lakers.
 
Ciampa made 17 saves to record the shutout in net.  Binnington took the loss in net for RIT, making 32 saves. 
 
The Lakers are on the road again next weekend in Hamden, Connecticut to compete against Quinnipiac University Friday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 6 at 1 p.m.