ERIE, Pa. – The #7/8 Mercyhurst University women's hockey team scored three second period goals on its way to a 4-1 win over Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Friday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The Lakers, winners of eight of their last nine games, improved to 11-2-1 overall and to 4-1-0 in College Hockey America. The Tigers dropped to 6-6-3 and 1-3-1 respectively.

After a scoreless first period, one in which Mercyhurst enjoyed a 9-3 advantage in shots, the Lakers erupted for three goals in the second.

The first came from leading scorer, junior forward Emily Janiga, at 10:40, followed by power play tallies from junior winger Jenna Dingledein at 13:38 and senior defender Caroline Luczak at 19:29. Senior defender Molly Byrne reached the 100-point plateau in her career with an assist on Janiga's tenth goal of the season. Janiga, herself, assisted on Dingledein's sixth marker and moved to within one of also reaching the century mark. Luczak's lamplighter was her first of the season and fifth goal of her career.

Mercyhurst scored its three goals on nine second-period shots while limiting the Tigers to only two.

The Lakers kept RIT in the game with six third-period penalties, including a major for checking-from-behind and a game misconduct. But, the Tigers could muster their only goal late in the third during a five-on-three. Senior forward Celeste Brown finished a pretty passing play to keep the Tigers within striking distance.

But sophomore defender Jillian Skinner finished the scoring and RIT with an empty-net score with just over a minute left. The goal was her first of the season and the second of her career. The Tigers outshot the Lakers 8-6 in the third but Mercyhurst owned an 11-shot margin overall, 24-13. Mercyhurst finished two-for-four with the skater advantage while the Tigers ended one-for-seven.

Mercyhurst senior goaltender Amanda Makela improved to 11-2-1 on the season while junior Jetta Rackleff, making her eighth career start and second this season, dropped to 0-1-1.

The Lakers penalty unit continues to excel:  Mercyhurst has now killed 56 of 59 penalties this season. Meanwhile, the Lakers' power play improved to 11 of 62.

Mercyhurst now leads the all-time series 8-2-0.

The two teams will conclude the weekend series on Saturday afternoon. Faceoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. from the Mercyhurst Ice Center.