STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's ice hockey team earned its first two-game sweep since November after knocking off Penn State 4-3 on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Pegula Ice Arena. It is also the first time this season the Lakers have swept a College Hockey America conference opponent.

Brooke Hartwick scored twice to up her team-high goal total to 14 for the season. Jillian Skinner and Maggie Knott also added their fourth goals of the season respectively. Lakers' goaltender Sarah McDonnell ended up with 30 saves in her second straight win.

The Lakers jumped out to the early lead on Skinner's goal at 5:34 in the first period. Céline Frappier and Sarah Hine added assists to the scoresheet on the play. Hartwick followed up with her first goal of the game at 11:47 after a setup from Sarah Robello to put the Lakers ahead 2-0.

Penn State responded before the end of the first period with its first goal scored on the power play by Katie McMillan at 17:38. The Nittany Lions' Brooke Madsen tied the score at two on another power-play goal 26 seconds into the second period.

Mercyhurst fought right back to retake the lead at 3:42 on Knott's goal assisted by Sam Isbell. Later in the second period at 15:55, Hartwick scored her second of the game on the power play to give the Lakers an important insurance goal. Hine earned her second assist of the game on the play and Molly Blasen also earned a helper.

Hartwick's insurance goal grew in importance after the Nittany Lions found the net in the third period to cut the Laker lead to 4-3. Amy Petersen was the goal scorer 7:06 into the final period. A couple of close calls for Mercyhurst including a Penn State power play and a hit post by Meike Meilleur nearly saw the Nittany Lions tie the game, but McDonnell made eight of her 30 saves in the final frame to seal the victory for Mercyhurst.

The two-game winning streak is the Lakers' longest since its season-long three-game win streak between Nov. 12-19. Saturday's win also moves Mercyhurst past Penn State into third place in College Hockey America with a 6-7-1 conference record and 13 points.

The Lakers (10-16-1) have an extra weekend to prepare for their trip to Syracuse Feb. 10-11. Game one on Friday night begins at 7 p.m. with Saturday's matchup scheduled for 3 p.m.