Women’s Hockey Falls to Seventh-Ranked Mercyhurst 4-2

'xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags' />ERIE, PA. ‘ The Colgate women’s hockey team stormed out to a two-goal lead but was unable to hold off the seventh ranked Lady Lakers of Mercyhurst who finished the game with four unanswered goals to take a 4-2 win over the Raiders.'xml:namespace prefix = o ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office' />

Colgate jumped out to a 1-0 advantage at the end of one period when senior captain Avery McGlenn (Coaldale, Alb.) scored on a rebound off a shot from the point by Chelsey Rhodes (Champion, Alb.).  Kristin Cirbus (Jamestown, N.Y.) was also credited with an assist.

The Raiders outshot the seventh ranked Lakers in the first period 7-5, with Rebecca Lahar (Vienna, Va.) stopping all five shots she faced.

Colgate increased its lead to 2-0 when Cheryl Setchell (Sydney, N.S.) found the back of the net on passes from Ashley Bradford (Burnaby, B.C.) and Carly McNaughton (Lethbridge, Alb.)

Colgate’s lead was short-lived as the Lady Lakers scored three unanswered goals in a second period that saw Mercyhurst fire 27 shots on Lahar.  Goals by Ashley Pendleton, Jackie Jarrell and Michelle Bonello gave the Lakers a 3-2 lead at the end of two periods.  Mercyhurst outshot the Raiders 27-6 in the stanza.

The Lady Lakers scored again at the beginning of the third period when Chrissy Yule put Mercyhurst up 4-2.

The Raiders finished 0-6 on the power-play, while the Lakers went 2-5 with a skater advantage.

Rebecca Lahar made 41 stops in another stellar performance between the pipes for the junior netminder.

The Raiders are now 9-4-1 on the season and 3-0 in the ECAC and return to action at Clarkson on Friday evening for a 7 p.m. face-off.  The Raiders defeated Clarkson 4-2 earlier this season in Starr Rink.