ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst (2-0-0) defeated Rensselaer (0-2-0) 3-0 on Saturday. The Lakers put 46 shots on goal, held Rensselaer to 11 and scored twice in the first period.
The Lakers turned a scoreless first period into a 2-0 lead late, getting goals from Julia Perjus at 5:38 and Halle Duchene at 3:15. This is Duchene's first career collegiate goal. Earlier, the Lakers opened with sustained pressure, putting multiple attempts on goal in the first two minutes and continuing to create chances before the breakthrough. The Lakers also killed off a holding penalty midway through the period, with Magdalena Luggin making stops and Abby Poitras and Holly VanNetten blocking shots during Rensselaer's power play. Perjus scored first off assists from Sofia Nuutinen and Mariia Polozkova, then helped set up Duchene's goal along with VanNetten as the Lakers carried a 2-0 advantage into intermission.
The Lakers generated the bulk of the offense in a scoreless second period, recording 36 shot attempts while limiting Rensselaer to seven. The Lakers created repeated looks off faceoff wins, including a Regina Metzler shot that hit the pipe with 16:21 left. The Lakers also handled Rensselaer's pushes, with VanNetten, Nuutinen and Sofia Ljung each blocking attempts and Luggin credited with three saves in the period. The Lakers kept pressing late, with Nuutinen, Berlin Lolacher, Metzler and VanNetten among those putting pucks toward goal, but neither team scored before the period ended.
Polozkova scored an empty-net goal with 1:43 remaining, with Duchene and Perjus assisting, to move the Lakers ahead 3-0. Earlier in the third period, the Lakers generated sustained pressure, getting chances from Avery Bryk, Kate Donegan, Lexi Stanat, Nuutinen and others while Rensselaer blocked several attempts. Donegan's effort marked her first career collegiate goal. The Lakers also pressed on a power play after a Rensselaer penalty at 6:34, putting pucks toward goal through Maja Alenius, Metzler, VanNetten and Duchene. At the other end, Luggin turned away Rensselaer's shots on goal in the period, while Lucy Decoteau and Perjus added blocks as the Lakers kept the visitors scoreless. Rensselaer pulled its goalie with 2:30 left, but the Lakers finished the third with the lone goal of the period and closed out the 3-0 result.
Perjus recorded a goal and two assists, including the game-winning goal, and finished at +3. Duchene scored, added an assist and put four shots on goal. Polozkova also tallied a goal and an assist with four shots on goal and a +2 rating. Luggin made 11 saves and allowed no goals in the start.
Up next, the Lakers travel to Duluth, Minnesota to take on the Bulldogs on Friday, September 25. Puck drop set for 7:00 PM.
