Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The ninth-ranked Mercyhurst University women's hockey team clinched its 12th consecutive College Hockey America regular season title after beating Syracuse 3-2 on Saturday at the Tennity Ice Pavilion.  The Lakers improve to 23-6-1 in the season and 15-3-0 in the CHA.  Syracuse fell to 18-13-1 overall and 12-5-1 in the CHA. 
 
With the win, the Lakers are awarded a first round bye in the CHA conference playoffs, and will host the CHA tournament semifinals on Friday, March 8 and championship on Saturday, March 9.  Times are too be determined.
 
For the fifth straight game, the Lakers were the first to score and are now 23-1-0 when scoring first during the regular season.  Senior Kelsey Welch contributed to the first goal of the contest when she sent a drop pass to sophomore defenseman Vaila Higson who scored at 6:49 into the first.  Junior Kaleigh Chippy tallied the second Laker goal three minutes later to give Mercyhurst a 2-0 edge.  Welch collected her second assist, and her seventh of the season.
 
Senior Lauren Jones extended her point-streak to four games as she notched the eventual game-winner at 14:22 in the first.  Six of her seven points in the last four games have been goals.  Seniors Gina Buquet and Jenna Hendrikx tallied the assists. 
 
Syracuse tallied both goals late in the second period.  Margot Scharfe scored a power-play goal at 13:04 from Brittney Krebs and Kaillie Goodnough.  Scharfe drew Syracuse within one with her second goal of the period at 17:24 in the second.  Heading into the third period, Mercyhurst had a 22-to-20 shot advantage and a 3-2 lead.
 
Mercyhurst had to kill off two power-plays in the third including a five-minute major penalty at the 12:00 minute mark.  But during the seven minutes down a skater, Mercyhurst held the Orange to only one shot on net.  The Lakers outshot Syracuse 5-to-3 in the third, and 27 to 23 over sixty minutes. 
 
With 1:30 left in regulation, the Orange pulled goaltender Kallie Billadeau  but squandered the opportunity to tie the game by picking up back-to-back penalties with less than a minute remaining.
 
Senior goaltender Stephanie Ciampa recorded her sixth consecutive win in net for the Lakers and improved to 15-1-0 this season.  Ciampa allowed two goals on 23 shots in 60:00 minutes of action.  Billadeau (14-8-0) picked up the loss for Syracuse, allowing three goals on 27 shots.
 
Welch and Jones had four points each to lead the Lakers in the weekend sweep.  Welch collected two points in both contests on a goal and three assists. Jones scored three goals and added a helper over the weekend.  Ciampa stopped 48 of 53 shots (.905)  in the series.
 
Mercyhurst will host RIT in its final regular season games Friday, February 22 and Saturday, February 23 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.  Faceoffs are scheduled at 3:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. respectively.