ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's hockey team struggled in its first of two matchups against Syracuse this weekend, dropping 4-2 to the Orange on Friday evening at Mercyhurst Ice Center.
Both teams are among the nation's best when it comes to team defense and it showed in the first period. Both teams managed just four shots on goal. Both defenses were also sound in their efforts to make it difficult for the opposing team to enter the offensive zone.
The one advantage Mercyhurst had over Syracuse in the first period was on the power play. The Lakers had three power play chances in the opening frame and made their third try count.
Rachael Smith buried her fourth goal of the season with assists by
Nicole Guagliardo and
Molly Blasen to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead at the 12:17 mark in the period.
Syracuse came out firing pucks on net to tie and eventually take the lead in the second period. Heather Schwarz scored an even-strength tally 1:58 into the period to knot the game at one. Less than two minutes later, the Orange took the lead on another even-strength goal, this time by Stephanie Grossi 3:34 into the second. Syracuse out-shot Mercyhurst 12-8 in the frame.
The Orange weren't done scoring in the period. They went on the power play with 5:19 remaining in the period and made their time with an extra skater count. Schwarz buried her second goal of the game with assists to Alysha Burris and Jessica Sibley to extend Syracuse's lead to 3-1.
Mercyhurst countered just before the period ended on a five-on-three power play.
Sarah Hine set up
Paige Horton for a slap shot at the point and that was stopped by Orange goalie Abbey Miller. The rebound went right to
Brooke Hartwick and she chipped it past Miller to pull the Lakers within one.
The Lakers desperately tried to build some offense in the third period and had some good looks on net. They out-shot the Orange 12-6 in the third period, including a flurry of chances midway through the period. Miller was able to hold the fort for Syracuse by making all 12 saves. The Orange also added an insurance goal on the power play to go up by two with 6:10 remaining. Megan Quinn's power play goal put Syracuse up 4-2. The Lakers pulled goalie
Sarah McDonnell with 3:40 on the clock to add an extra skater to a power play opportunity, but they were unable to convert and lost 4-2.
The Lakers (2-8-1, 1-4-0) look to bounce back tomorrow against the Orange at Mercyhurst Ice Center beginning at 2 p.m.
