Erie, PA -- The Mercyhurst Women's Ice Hockey team will take the ice again at the Mercyhurst Ice Center this Friday and Saturday as they play host to the visiting RPI Engineers.
The last time the Lakers matched up against RPI the teams split a two-game series back in 2017. Mercyhurst took the first game 4-1 and RPI captured the second 4-3.
Laker Overview
The Lakers opened the 2021-22 season with a 6-3 non-conference victory over conference foe RIT. The game did not lack scoring especially in the first period as the teams put up a combined six goals in the first 20 minutes of game time. After the scoring frenzy in the first, Mercyhurst tacked on two more goals to their total. As for RIT they added an additional goal in the second period.
This game was a coming out party for the newcomers on the Lakers squad as five of the nine new faces to Mercyhurst's roster scored at least one point against RIT. Freshman
Marielle Parks,
Sydney Wegner, and
Vanessa Upson, along with graduate transfer
Kristy Pidgeon each captured their first goal wearing a Mercyhurst jersey.
Sydney Pedersen as well as Upson were credited with assists.
The CHA Co-Preseason Rookie of the year Upson tied with Pidgeon, Pedersen,
Liliane Perreault, and
Grace Nelles for a game high two points. Upson and Pidgeon each tallied an assist as their second points and Perreault assisted on the Pidgeon and Parks goals. Nelles scored the first goal of the game for Mercyhurst and added an assist later. The sixth Lakers goal was scored by
Sara Boucher who picked up right where she left last year, firing pucks into the back of the net.
The Lakers only allowed 22 RIT shots,
Jenna Silvonen stopped 19 of those to earn her first win in goal of the season.
Scouting RPI
The Engineers come into the series with Mercyhurst having played one exhibition game against Syracuse in which they won 3-2. They have a roster that consists of 26 returning players and five freshmen. RPI did not play last season due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, in the 2019-20 season the Engineers went 0-33-1.
Graduate Student Lauren Severson returns after finishing second on the team in points as a Junior. Severson scored two goals and five assists on 73 shots during the 2019-20 season. In addition to her scoring. Severson was tied for third on the team in 2020 with 37 blocks.
Amanda Rampado will be in goal for RPI. The junior made 29 saves on 31 shots faced in their game against Syracuse. As a freshman in 2019-20, Rampado played in 13 games, 11 as starter, she went 0-11-0 with 3.44 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.
Up Next
RPI will travel to Vermont to take on The University of Vermont on Oct. 1.
Mercyhurst will travel to Hamilton New York to play a two game series with #6 Colgate on October 1.
