ERIE, Pa – The Mercyhurst women's ice hockey team was defeated by second-ranked Wisconsin 5-3 on Saturday at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
 
Emily Pinto recorded a goal and an assist while Alexa Vasko and Emma Nuutinen scored one goal each. Alexane Rheaume, Rachel Marmen, K.K. Thiessen, Sarah Hine and Sam Isbell each tallied one assist for Mercyhurst (0-4-0).
 
Sophie Shirley, Mikaela Gardner, Mekenzie Steffen, Annie Panakowski and Sam Cogan scored for Wisconsin (4-0-0).
 
During the first 3:30 minutes of the first period, Shirley and Gardner scored to give Wisconsin an early 2-0 lead. Abby Roque and Annie Pankowski had assists.
 
Twenty-six seconds later, Vasko scored her first goal of the season to bring the Lakers within one. Rheaume and Marmen tallied assists.
 
On the power play, Nuutinen tied the game 2-2 with assists from Thiessen and Pinto.
 
With 46 seconds left in the first period, the Badgers capitalized on the power play to take a 3-1 lead. Steffen picked up the goal while Nicole LaMantia and Pankowski had assists.
 
Late in the third period, Pankowski scored the Badgers' fourth goal assisted by Maddie Rowe and Emily Clark.
 
Mercyhurst came back with a goal by Pinto from Hine and Isbell, but it wasn't enough.
 
With twelve seconds left Cogan scored to seal the deal for Wisconsin 5-3.
 
Leah Klassen stopped 35 out of 40 shots on net for Mercyhurst while Kristen Campbell made 12 saves for Wisconsin.
 
Both teams went 1-for-6 on the power play.
 
The Lakers are back in action Oct. 12-13 when they open up CHA play at Syracuse. Puck drops at 7 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday.