March 25, 2008

Erie, Pa. - Another terrific season for the women's hockey team ended abruptly Saturday, March 15, with a 5-4 loss at Minnesota Duluth in the NCAA Quarterfinals. After tying with Wayne State for the regular season title, the Lakers won their 6th straight College Hockey America Playoffs with a 2-1 overtime win over the Warriors on March 8 at Niagara University. The Lakers finished the season with an overall record of 26-8-3 and a No. 7 national ranking.

Mercyhurst featured eight newcomers in 2007-2008. The Lakers lost 10 players from the 2006-2007, 32-win team, seven to graduation. There were large holes to fill at both ends of the ice, but especially on the blue line, a major reason why Mercyhurst had the second-best scoring defense in Division I in 2006-2007.

The Lakers began the season with five straight wins, four at home. The winning streak included a season-opening 3-0 College Hockey America decision at Robert Morris. Minnesota Duluth severed the string of successes in mid-October as the Bulldogs played the Lakers to a 1-1 overtime tie in Duluth before defeating Mercyhurst 3-1 the next day. The setback was followed by three more home ice wins, two over Colgate and another over Robert Morris.

The team was idle for the next 17 days and the rust was evident as the Lakers went 0-1-1 at Clarkson, tying 2-2 in overtime and falling 3-2 the following day. Mercyhurst regrouped again and strung five more wins, four on the road, ending with a 4-3 win over then No. 1 New Hampshire December 7 at the Ice Center. The Wildcats returned the favor 5-2 the next day. The Lakers finished the 2007 portion of the season with a split at Dartmouth, blanking Dartmouth 7-0 before losing 6-4.

The New Year began with a split at Providence (3-7, 3-0) followed by four more wins, all non-conference and all at home.

With only conference games left, the Lakers went 0-1-1 with Wayne State at home (4-5 ot, 2-2 ot) before capturing three in a row (Niagara twice and at Wayne State). The Warriors gained a split the next day with a 3-2 win in overtime.

Mercyhurst closed the regular season with a pair of wins over Robert Morris (5-2, 5-4 ot). The Lakers and Warriors tied for the regular season CHA championship with identical 9-2-1 marks nut WSU claimed the No. 1 seed in the tournament by virtue of a 2-1-1 margin over Mercyhurst in four regular season contests.

Mercyhurst claimed its 6th straight CHA postseason tile with a 4-2 win over host Niagara and a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Wayne State.

Sophomore Meghan Agosta was named CHA Player of the Year and Tournament MVP. Junior Natalie Payne made the All-CHA First Team while junior Valerie Chouinard was Second Team choice. Freshman Vicki Bendus was chosen conference Rookie of the Year while teammates Jesse Scanzano, Geena Prough, and Cassea Schols made the All-Rookie Team. Senior Stephanie Jones was selected Student Athlete of the Year while seven other players (Danielle Ayearst, Valerie Chouinard, Courtney Drennen, Kristen Erickson, Laura Hosier, Johanna Malmstrom, and Nicole Nelson) also made the All-Academic Team. In addition to Agosta, Jones, Hosier, and Payne made the All-Tournament Team.

Mercyhurst made the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year and, for the fourth successive time, lost a one-goal game in the quarterfinals. Minnesota Duluth rallied from three one-goal deficits to edge Mercyhurst 5-4 a week later in Minnesota.

Sophomore Meghan Agosta made the Final 3 for the Patty Kazmaier Award for the second straight year. She and Valerie Chouinard then left for China in late March to play for Team Canada in the Women's World Championships.

Mercyhurst loses six players to graduation: forwards Kristen Erickson, Sherilyn Fraser, Jackie Jarrell, and Stephanie Jones; defenseman Danielle Ayearst; and goaltender Laura Hosier.

Nationally, Mercyhurst was 3rd in scoring offense (4.00), 4th in power play efficiency (23.6), 8th in scoring defense (2.11), and 10th in penalty kill (86.0).

Mercyhurst has now won 221 games in nine years, nearly 25 wins a season, has six successive CHA titles, has made four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, and has an overall winning percentage of .743 (221-69-23).