ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst University women's hockey team opened the 2015-16 season against a couple of familiar faces on Friday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. However, it was the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) that got the better end of a 4-1 score in an exhibition contest.

Shelby Bram and Amanda Makela, both of whom graduated from Mercyhurst this past May, are on the Beauts' roster for their inaugural season. Makela did not dress as she is currently nursing an injury and Bram did not factor in the scoring but did win ten of fourteen faceoffs.

Buffalo scored three times in the second period against Laker freshman netminder, Kerri St. Denis, to snap a scoreless tie. Two of the three tallies came in the opening 1:19 of the frame and then the Beauts tacked on a third with 2:06 left in the period.

Mercyhurst got back in the contest at the 10:38 mark of the third when sophomore Brooke Hartwick banged home a rebound against Beauts' backup goaltender, Kimberly Sass. Senior Jaclyn Arbour and freshman Morgan Stacey had the assists.

But the Beauts finished the scoring with seven seconds left against freshman goaltender Sara McDonnell for the final margin.

Mercyhurst outshot Buffalo, 45-21, but could not solve two-time Olympic silver medalist for Team USA, Brianne McLaughlin, who started and played the first two periods. She stopped all 29 shots she faced before giving way to Sass in the third.

Sophomore Jessica Convery played the opening twenty minutes for the Lakers in goal and stopped all three shots she faced.

The Lakers will entertain the Ottawa Lady Senators on Saturday afternoon, September 26, at the Mercyhurst Ice Center in another exhibition contest. Faceoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.