Women's Hockey wraps up regular season with 2-1 loss to Mercyhurst

ERIE, PA - The RIT women's hockey team (12-17-5, 8-11-1 CHA) wrapped up the regular season with a 2-1 loss at College Hockey America foe Mercyhurst University (15-13-5, 12-6-2 CHA) from the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Saturday afternoon.

Hunter Barnett scored her eighth goal of the season for the Tigers early in the second period. Terra Lanteigne took the loss in net for the Tigers, making 27 saves on the day.

Alexa Vasko and Michele Robillard scored 27 seconds apart midway through the second period for the Lakers. Sarah McDonnell recorded the win in net making 14 saves.

The first period of play was an fairly even 20 minutes of hockey, as neither team could find the back of the net. Mercyhurst out-shot the tigers 9-3 and had two power play attempts, where the Tigers did not have a power play in the first period.

In the second period the Tigers jumped out to an early lead. A miscommunication in the Lakers defense allowed Barnett to steal the puck in the neutral zone and score the opening goal.

The Lakers would go on the power play at 11:14 but Kendall Cornine just missed making it 2-0 Tigers, getting robbed by McDonnell on a shorthanded breakaway. Mercyhurst would score twice in 27 seconds not long after to lead 2-1.

The Tigers best chance of the third period came right before the final buzzer, as Madison Farrand won the final face-off cleanly to Mallory Rushton, who fired a last chance shot that missed the goal by inches.

"I liked the fight we brought today," said Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach Chad Davis. "We had a great look with a couple seconds left. It was a playoff feel today. We are going to turn the page and get ready for Buffalo."

RIT finished the regular season tied for fourth with Penn State in regular season standings with 17 points. The Nittany Lions won the season series, 3-1 and will be the No. 4 seed in next week's College Hockey America Tournament, while RIT is the No. 5 seed. RIT and Penn State will meet in the first round Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. from Harborcenter in Buffalo.