Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst Women's Ice Hockey team is gearing up for the Atlantic Hockey America Postseason as they are set to host the Syracuse Orange in a best of three in the AHA Semifinals.  The Lakers come into the postseason as the #2 seed for the third straight season and will look to advance to their fourth straight conference championship game. 

Series History 

Mercyhurst and Syracuse played four times during the regular season, with the Lakers winning three out of four.  The last time these two teams met in the postseason was just a few years ago in 2023 in the semifinals where the Lakers swept the Orange 2-0.  The Lakers own a 45-14-4 advantage over the Orange all-time, and a 20-6-3 record at home in the series history.  The Orange snapped a ten-game losing streak to the Lakers with their 4-2 win in the final game of the regular season.    

Laker Outlook 

Mercyhurst (18-14-2, 13-6-1 AHA) enters the weekend off a first-round bye in the postseason. 

Vanessa Upson continues to lead the Lakers' offense with 37 points (13G, 24A), while Thea Johansson (13G, 12A) and Julia Schalin (12G, 17A) provide additional scoring depth. Defensively, Megan McKay has been a key presence on the blue line, while goaltenders Jorden Mattison (1.88 GAA, .929 SV%) and Magdalena Luggin (1.96 GAA, .930 SV%) have anchored the Lakers in net. 

Special teams could play a crucial role, as Mercyhurst is converting on 18.8% of power plays (19-for-101) while holding opponents to just 16.9% efficiency (13-for-77) on the penalty kill. 

Scouting Syracuse 

Syracuse (14-21, 11-9 AHA) has shown resilience throughout the season, winning three of their last four games, including a 3-2 victory over Robert Morris in the AHA Quarterfinals. The Orange have relied heavily on Bryn Saarela (17G, 12A) and Jackson Kinsler (8G, 17A) to fuel their offense. 

Defensively, goaltender Allie Kelley has been a workhorse, starting 34 games and boasting a .928 save percentage despite facing an average of 36 shots per game. Syracuse has been strong on special teams, converting on 21.2% of power plays (22-for-104) while holding opponents to 21.6% efficiency (21-for-97) on the penalty kill. 

Keys to the Game 

• Offensive Execution – Mercyhurst is averaging 2.9 goals per game, while Syracuse is at 2.3. The Lakers will need to capitalize on their scoring opportunities. 

• Goaltending Battle – With both teams featuring strong goaltending, the game could come down to who can make the key saves in crucial moments. 

• Special Teams Play – Both teams have relied on their power play for offense. Winning the special teams battle could be a deciding factor. 

Next Up 

The winner of this best of three series will play the winner #1 Penn State vs #4 RIT in the AHA Championship.