Robert Morris vs. No. 1 Mercyhurst Boxscore

Detroit, Mich. - March 5, 2010 - The No. 1 Mercyhurst Lakers scored three goals within the first five minutes of play before cruising to a 7-1 victory over the Robert Morris University Colonials in the College Hockey America Tournament Semifinals. Senior Chelsea Walkland (Pittsford, N.Y. / Rochester Edge) scored RMU's lone goal of the contest.

"I am proud of how hard we battled," said head coach Nate Handrahan. "We played a very driven team that should make a splash at the national stage. I am very thankful and proud of my team and our seniors. The senior class gave us everything they had and showed a lot of loyalty and passion in being a Colonial."

Bailey Bram led the Lakers with two goals and two assists, while CHA Player of the Year Vicki Bendus added one goal and one helper in the win. Jesse Scanzano led Mercyhurst with three assists.

Mercyhurst's first goal came from Kyleigh Palmer at 2:00, which marked her first score as a Laker off an assist from Melissa Lacroix. At 4:30, Lacroix followed her assist with a goal, with Scanzano and Bram assisting on the play. 16 seconds later Jess Jones skated through the RMU Blueline and got the puck past junior goalie Daneca Butterfield (Kronau, Saskatchewan / Notre Dame Hounds) to give the Lakers a 3-0 advantage.

RMU made a goalie change immediately following the third Laker goal with freshman Kristen DiCiocco (Niagara Falls, Ontario / Stoney Creek Sabres) entering the game. The Colonials were able to hold off Mercyhurst's attack for the remainder of the first period.  

Robert Morris entered the second period with a lot of energy and was able to cut the deficit to two goals when Walkland found an opening past Laker goalie Hillary Pattenden to mark her second goal of the season. Senior Jacki Gibson (Burlington, Ontario / Burlington Barracudas) and sophomore Brianna Delaney (Stittsville, Ontario / NCCP Raiders) assisted on the play.

However, Mercyhurst matched that goal with 5:13 left to play in the second frame when Bram put in Samantha Watt's rebound to set the score at 4-1. Bendus also added an assist on the play.

The Lakers started off the third period in similar fashion to the first period, scoring two goals within the first 3:30 of play. Bendus scored Mercyhurst's fifth goal on the power play just 26 seconds after the initial third period puck drop. Scanzano followed that with a goal at 3:26 off a Bram assist to put Mercyhurst up 6-1.

The Lakers wrapped things up with a goal by Scanzano with 1:49 left to play on a shorthanded play to finalize Mercyhurst's victory, 7-1.

Mercyhurst outshot the Colonials 41 to 16 and held RMU scoreless on six extra man advantages. The Lakers capitalized on one-of-four power plays. DiCiocco finished the contest with 32 saves, while the duo of Pattenden and Stephanie Ciampa tallied 15 stops.

The loss concludes Robert Morris's 2009-10 season with a 11-24-1 overall record, while the Mercyhurst Lakers improve to 28-2-3.