Feb. 16, 2007

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - #1 Mercyhurst scored three first period goals and hung on to defeat Wayne State 3-1 Friday night at the Ice Center. The Lakers, 28-1-2 overall and 9-0-0 in College Hockey America, clinched their fourth successive conference regular season crown and are unbeaten in their last 19 games. The Warriors dropped to 12-16-1 and 4-5-0 respectively.

Sophomore Valerie Chouinard, freshman Meghan Agosta, and senior Stefanie Bourbeau scored for the Lakers in the first 12-and-a-half minutes, all against WSU junior netminder Valery Turcotte. Chouinard and Agosta cashed power play goals while Bourbeau's was even strength. The Warriors took a timeout following the third tally and the move paid dividends as the Lakers were held off the board for the final 47:33.

Wayne State's lone goal came from the stick of sophomore center Lindsay DiPietro, on a power play, at 7:13 of the second.

Bourbeau, the game's first star, also had a pair of assists and moved into second place in career points with 127, just three behind C.J. Ireland's (1999-2003) 130. Chouinard also had a first-period helper and now has 100 career points. Her goal was her 25th of the year and 15th power play, tying her with Bourbeau for first place all-time with 22. Not to be outdone, Agosta notched her 32nd of the year and 16th with the skater advantage. Her goal was also her 8th game-winner of the season, all of the above one-season marks. Her 60 season points are just three shy of Ireland's 63, collected in 1999-2000, the first year of the program.

Junior netminder Laura Hosier, who was replaced in the first priod of a 7-5 win at Wayne State a month ago, picked up her 23rd win of the season, just three behind the one-season mark of 26 set by Desirae Clark in 2003-04. The Lakers' 28th win of the season also equals the mark established that year. Hosier moved into a tie for second all-time in career wins with 49.

Meanwhile, sophomore defender Natalie Payne's 13-game scoring streak came to an end.

Mercyhurst outshot Wayne State 36-18 and improved to 29-0-2 lifetime against the Warriors. The Lakers scored power play goals on their first two chances, but were blanked on seven more chances the rest of the way. WSU finished 1 of 8.

The two teams will conclude the weekend set tomorrow at 2. It will be "Senior Recognition Day".