Pittsburgh, Pa. ? Jan. 24, 2009   ? In a highly physical game, the Mercyhurst Lakers topped the Robert Morris University Colonials in a 5-0 shutout on Saturday night at the Robert Morris Island Sports Center. In the contest a total of 25 penalties were committed by both the Lakers and the Colonials.

With the win, the Lakers move to 17-5-0 overall and 6-0-0 in the CHA, while the Colonials drop to 9-15-2 and 4-5-1 in the CHA.

At 6:05 Mercyhust got the first mark on the scoreboard when sophomore Jesse Scanzano picked up a rebound shot made by teammate Melissa Lacroix during four-on-four action. Valerie Chouinard was also credited with an assist.

On a breakaway play at 13:11, Meghan Agosta skated her way through the Colonial defense and found an opening in the lower left corner of the net to put the Lakers up 2-0. Freshman Jess Jones passed the biscuit cross ice to freshman Kelley Steadman, who sent the puck to Meghan Agosta to make the goal.

Within three minutes of the second period, Mercyhurst grabbed a three goal cushion when Bailey Bram flipped the puck through RMU netminder Brianne McLaughlin's (Sheffield Village, Ohio / Ohio Flames) five-hole.. Agosta intercepted the puck from a Colonial defender and sent the puck to Bram, who captured the goal.  

Steadman tallied her second point of the game when she rocketed a hard shot from the far side of the ice that soared into the Colonial net for the Lakers fourth goal. Cassea Schols and Pamela Zgoda were credited with the assists.

The third period remained relatively quiet until 14:26 when Lacroix lit the lamp off assists from Bram and Hayley McMeekin to improve Mercyhurst's lead to 5-0.

McLaughlin and sophomore goalie Daneca Butterfield (Kronau, Saskatchewan / Notre Dame Hounds) split time in goal, with McLaughlin grabbing 13 saves and Butterfield recording a season high 37 saves. Mercyhurst's goalie Courtney Drennen finished the game with 23 saves.

Mercyhurst outshot the Colonials 55 to 23 and was zero for five on the power-play, while the Colonials were zero for ten.

Robert Morris has the next week off, but returns to the RMU Island Sports Center on Feb. 6-7 to face the Sacred Heart Pioneers, with both games starting at 7:35 p.m.