Box Score
Photo Gallery

ERIE, Pa. – With a career-high 40 saves by junior goaltender Amanda Makela the Mercyhurst University women's hockey team tied third-ranked Cornell University 4-4 on Friday evening.
 
The Lakers extend their unbeaten streak to eight games and improved to 14-5-2 overall in the season.  Cornell extended their unbeaten streak to four games and are 12-1-3 in the season.
 
Mercyhurst is now 2-3-3 when their opponent is the first to score as the Big Red scored their first goal of the contest at the 6:36 mark of the opening period.  Alyssa Gagliardi tallied her fifth goal on a power-play goal when Hayleigh Cudmore fed her the puck in front of the Mercyhurst crease.
 
The Lakers answered back a little over a minute later after battling for a puck in their defensive zone.  Senior Kaleigh Chippy created a turnover for freshman Paige Horton to pick up the puck and create the rush. 
 
Horton shot a crisp pass to senior Christie Cicero who exploded down the ice on a one-on-one breakaway.   Cicero skated her way to an open shot which was saved and knocked behind the net only for Cicero to pick up her own rebound and slide it past Cornell goaltender Lauren Slebodnick. 
 
Two minutes later, Cornell put up their second goal of the contest to end the scoring of the first.  Big Red's Ann Zorn collected the goal with Cassandra Poudrier adding the assist.  At the end of the first Cornell outshot Mercyhurst 13 to 10.
 
At the start of the second, Mercyhurst did not loss momentum as sophomore Emily Janiga tallied an even-strength goal at the 3:25 mark.  Senior Christine Bestland and sophomore Jenna Dingeldein tallied the assists. 
 
Cornell however took away the lead yet again at the 10:56 mark of the second on a three–on-one opportunity.  Big Red's Jillian Saulnier and Alyssa Gagliardi passed the puck back and fourth to create room for Emily Fulton to score behind goaltender Amanda Makela. 
 
The scoring was not over as Mercyhurst tallied another goal on their only power-play opportunity of the period.  After a battle behind Cornell's net, the Big Red tried to clear the puck but instead it bounced off the referee and onto the tap of junior Shelby Bram. 
 
Bram then passed the puck in front of the net where sophomore Kathy Donohue was waiting.  Donohue finished the puck under the pads of Slebodnick and picked up her sixth of the season.
 
The third period was scoreless throughout the first half until Mercyhurst took their first lead of the game at the 10:20 mark.  Mercyhurst controlled play after a back and fourth first half of the period with Dingeldein leading the way.  Dingeldein attempted a shot on net that was originally saved by Slebodnick. 
 
However Cornell's Slebodnick left a rebound right in front of the net, which remained untouched as both teams battled.  Bram finally picked up the puck to the left side of Slebodnick and muscled the puck over the goal line.  With the power-play goal, Bram marked her sixth of the season and second point of the game.  Donohue was also awarded the assist. 
 
Four minutes later, Cornell tallied the equalizer on their second power-play goal of the night.  The Big Red's Gagliardi forced overtime after scoring her second goal of the contest.  Cudmore and Saulnier tallied the assists.
 
With a little four-on-four action mid-way through overtime and three shots attempted by each team, the Lakers and Big Red skated to a tie.  Overall Cornell outshot Mercyhurst 44 to 37, as Mercyhurst is now 1-0-2 when outshot by their opponent.
 
After extending her scoring streak to seven games, Cicero also led the team with eight shots on net in the effort.  Janiga, Bestland, and Chippy all tallied five.
 
Bram and Donohue both led the team with a goal and an assist apiece, while Dingeldein tallied two assists.  Dingeldein is now nine assists away from her career 50, while junior Caroline Luczak is looking for her career 25th. 
 
Junior Amanda Makela made a career-high 40 saves throughout the 65:00 minutes played.  Despite allowing four goals, Makela improves to 12-5-3 in the season.  Slebodnick improved to 10-0-3 with her 33 saves. 
 
The out-of-conference rivalry continues tomorrow, January 11, as the Lakers take on #3 Cornell at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.  Puck drop is set for 2:00 p.m.