ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's basketball team earned an 81-55 win over West Virginia Wesleyan in non-conference action on Saturday at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. With the victory, the Lakers pushed their win streak to five games.

Seniors Angela Heintz and Natalie Piaggesi led Mercyhurst's scorers with 18 points apiece. Sophomore Maria Lapertosa added 12 points.

Heintz also had nine rebounds and seven assists while Hayley Andres grabbed eight rebounds and Piaggesi hauled down seven rebounds.

The Lakers held the lead through the entire game, opening with an 11-0 run. WVW did not score from the field until 4:43 remaining in the first quarter.

An 11-1 stretch by Mercyhurst in the second quarter – including seven points by Piaggesi -- helped it build a 39-17 advantage before taking a 43-22 lead into halftime.

The visiting Bobcats (3-4) enjoyed a 15-4 of their own in the third, getting seven points from Rachel Vandertoolen in the process, to trim the deficit to 49-37. That was as close as WVW got.

The Lakers closed the third period with 12 straight points – Piaggesi had six and Heintz put in five – before Hayley Andres buried a three-pointer early in the fourth to stretch the streak to 15-0 and give MU its largest lead of the game at 66-37.

As a team the Lakers shot 31 of 66 from the field (47.0 percent) while holding the Bobcats to 18-for-52 outing (34.6). Mercyhurst led the rebound edge, 43-29.

Mercyhurst's 10-1 start ties the program's best start through 11 games, which also occurred in 1988-89.

The Lakers will return to action on Friday, Dec. 30, when they visit Lock Haven for a 2 p.m. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference contest.