Erie, Pa. ? Feb. 13, 2009 ? The Robert Morris University Colonials suffered a tough 5-1 loss to the Mercyhurst Lakers on Friday night at the Mercyhurst Ice Center after being outshot 64 to 12. Despite the defeat, senior netminder Brianne McLaughlin (Sheffield Village, Ohio / Ohio Flames) put forth her usual solid performance, holding off 59 shots to bring her career total to 3,603, making her the new NCAA Division I all-time career save leader.  Shari Vogt who played for Minnesota from 2001-2004 was the previous owner of that record with 3,590 saves.

The loss drops the Colonials to an 11-16-2 overall record and a 4-6-1 conference record, while Mercyhurst improves to 22-5-0 overall and 11-0-0 in the conference.

The Colonials and the Lakers have a reputation for playing very aggressive and physical games against each other and tonight was no different, as a total of 25 penalties were committed in the game.

Mercyhurst scored their first of five goals at 4:41 in the opening period on an extra-man advantage. Jesse Scanzano scored the goal for the Lakers with Hayley McMeekin and Vicki Bendus adding the assists.

Laker stand-out Meghan Agosta recorded a hat-trick in the win and registered her first of three goals just two minutes after Scanzano's goal, also during a power-play. Bendus added another helper to her collection on the play and Valerie Chouinard added the second assist.

The Colonial blue line was able to hold off Mercyhurst's attack for the first nine minutes of the second period, but Agosta was able to find the net for her second straight goal, also occurring during a power-play. McMeekin was credited with an assist for her second point of the night.

At 18:21 in the second period Robert Morris made an indent in the Laker lead when freshman Brianna Delaney (Stittsville, Ontario / NCCP Raiders) was able to slip the puck past Mercyhurst goalie Hillary Pattenden for her 16^th goal of the season. Senior captain Kristen Miles (London, Ontario / London Devilletes) and junior Chelsea Walkland (Pittsford, N.Y. / Rochester Edge) dished out the assists on the play.

The Colonials entered the third period down 3-1. Unfortunately, the Lakers were able to add to their lead just three minutes into the final stanza when Bailey Bram lit the lamp off assists from Kelley Steadman and Bendus.

Agosta notched the game's final goal at 9:27 on a short-handed play, which completed her hat-trick and concluded the game with a 5-1 decision.

Robert Morris was 1 of 13 on the power-play, while Mercyhurst was 3 of 12, scoring three of their five goals with an extra-man.

The Colonials return to the Mercyhurst Ice Center tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. to take on the Lakers in the second game of the series.