ERIE, Pa. - Alexis Skibitsky scored twice along with Katie Ballew, Hayley Skidmore, and Jillian Blas all netting their first goals of the season as the Mercyhurst field hockey team beat Seton Hill University by a score of 5-2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Play on Tuesday afternoon at Saxon Stadium.  

Things started out well for the Griffins as they found the back of the net less than two minutes in when Nicole Susi found Colleen Roy at the top of the circle off a penalty corner she fed a pass to Gabriella Oxley whose shot beat keeper Libby Jones for the early 1-0 lead.  Mercyhurst answered at the 7:50 mark off their own corner with Abby D'Amato inserted the ball to Ballew who eventually hit Skibitsky at the top of the circle for the equalizing goal.  Each team recorded one more shot in the frame with neither resulting in a tally.  

The Lakers came out strong in the second earning three corners in just shot of minute's time with the final one ending in the cage as Blas ripped one beyond the reach of Seton Hill goalie Emma Jorgensen for the 2-1 edge.  Three different Mercyhurst players posted a shot the remainder of the quarter with Ballew getting a pair that were both turned away by Jorgensen and Clare Ahern along with Skibitsky each sent one wide.  The visitors had a chance to even the score just before half, but Michaela Swift-Mellor was turned away by Jones in cage.  

To begin the third Mercyhurst was on fire as they scored on their first two chances of the period.  First, Ahern picked up the ball around midfield and dribbled down the right side a 2-on-1 developed with Ballew who accept the pass slipping her shot through the five-hole of Jorgensen to go ahead 3-1.  Skidmore made it 4-1 just under four minutes later as D'Amato found her all along at the left post for the tip-in.  Seton Hill victimized the home side off the corner again with 38-seconds to play when Oxley reiceved the Susi pass at the top of arc and sent an offering past Jones cutting the score to 4-2 through three.  

Mercyhurst wasted little time finding the net in the fourth with Skibitsky batting a shot past Jorgensen after a scramble broke out in front of goal seizing the 5-2 advantage just 41 ticks in.  Ahern almost added a marker at the 49:27 mark as her shot evaded Jorgensen, however, Gracie Stynchula was there to clear the ball off the line.  Leah Rogers would recorded the only other shot of the game, but it was blocked by the Griffins defense.  With 7:08 remaining Gabriella Amico took over for Jones in net and she was never tested.  

 On the day the Lakers outshot the visitors 18-7 (13-4 on goal), and posted a 13-5 advantage in penalty corners.  

Skibitsky had a team-high six shots, while Skidmore and Ballew each had three.  Rogers and Ahern added two each.  In cage Jones was tasked to make just two saves.  

The Lakers return to action on Saturday, October 12 when they travel across the state to battle top-ranked West Chester University for a 4pm start.  Full preview will be out on Friday.