ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst field hockey team posted a 6-2 victory over non-conference opponent Converse Saturday, on Tulio Field. The Lakers break even to a 5-5 overall record with this victory while remaining 1-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play.
 
Mercyhurst scored its six goals off the sticks of five different players. The Lakers were led by Taylor Balser who posted two goals. . Bryna Cook, Katie Ballew, Nicolette Tomani and Leah Rogers all found net for the Lakers. Clare Ahern, Katelyn Smith and Katie Lechner contributed an assist on game. Victoria Triaga was the winning goal keeper for the contest she posted one save and allowed one goal in her 35 minutes in net.
 
Converse (0-8) earned goals from Marina Montes-Nino and Flore Samsi. Morgan Sudweeks contributed an assist.
 
Balser struck first and early scoring the game's first goal unassisted in the second minute of play. Rogers extended the Lakers lead to 2-0 when she took two shots in the 18^th minute of play, redirecting a save from the first shot of a the two shot volley back into the net.
 
Monte-Nino would tighten the contest to 2-1 after redirecting a saved ball to find net in the 22nd minute of play.
 
Mercyhurst would score two more goals in the first half the first coming from Cook, who redirected a saved shot from Tomani to push the Lakers to a 3-1 lead. Ballew would tip the pass of Smith from outside the circle to find net, ending the first half with a 4-1 lead.
 
Tomani scored the first goal of the second half at the 37^th minute mark, she was assisted by Clare Ahern who crossed the ball in front of the net. Balser would score her second goal of the game in the 40^th minute of play when she smacked in a corner from Katie Lechner.
 
Samsi would score the last goal of the game in the 51^st minute of play she was assisted by Sudweeks.
 
The Lakes out shot Converse 27 shots to eight, Mercyhurst would post 18 shots in the first half and nine in the second. Converse posted five in half one and three in half two.
 
Mercyhurst was able to earn three times as many corners as Converse posting nine to the three the Valkyries earned.
 
Mercyhurst will return to action when they take on (#6) Bloomsburg in PSAC action October 7^th. This contest will be on the road, held on the campus of Bloomsburg University.