ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's hockey team (8-6-1, 4-1-1 CHA) had its Division I team record five-game unbeaten streak snapped, falling to No. 10 Mercyhurst (8-5-2, 3-2-1 CHA) by a score of 3-2 at Ritter Arena on a blustery Saturday afternoon.

Mercyhurst led 2-1 heading into the third period before RIT tied the game 1:30 in, right after a power-play ended, as #Kolbee McCrea (Wawa, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas) took a feed from (Brantford, Ontario/Assumption Collegiate)Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)# and fired in a shot from the side of the net for her seventh goal of the season.

The Lakers would score the game-winning goal with 13:15 left in regulation, as Lauren Kilroy put a shot in from the high slot off the right post for her first goal of the season.

RIT would press on to try and get the tying goal, but Mercyhurst would hold on. #Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy)# had a good chance with seven minutes left that Mercyhurst goaltender Julia DiTondo would snare with the glove.

Emily Janiga had a goal and an assist, while Christine Bestland added a pair of helpers for the Lakers, who improve to 5-1 all-time against RIT. Caroline Luczak also scored for Mercyhurst. DiTondo made her first collegiate start for the Lakers, stopping 20-of-22 shots in the win.

McCrea and #Dakota Waites (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair)# scored for the Tigers, while #Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects) assisted on both goals. Waites' goal was the first of her collegiate career. Goaltender (Brantford, Ontario/Assumption Collegiate)Ali Binnington (Oakville, Ontario/Mississauga Chiefs)# had her personal seven-game winning streak snapped, stopping 34 shots in defeat.

Mercyhurst out-shot RIT 37-22. The Lakers were 0-for-5 with the man-advantage, while RIT failed to score in seven power-play chances.

The Tigers power-play struggled this afternoon, falling to convert on several golden chances. The Tigers had 1:30 of a 5-on-3 advantage in the first period and failed to generate any great chances, and enjoyed 1:10 of a 4-on-3 and 20 seconds of a 5-on-3 in the second period without getting a shot on goal.

RIT Head Coach #Scott McDonald# was happy with how his team played this weekend.

"Our performance this weekend shows how far we've come in such a short time this season," said McDonald. "Mercyhurst defeated (nationally-ranked) Clarkson earlier in the year and we just played two very competitive one-goal games against a top-10 team (Mercyhurst), who made the Frozen Four last year."

Waites opened the scoring with her first collegiate goal 5:37 into the contest, completing a perfect rush down the ice for the goal. #Emilee Bulleid (Waterdown, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres)# made a long stretch pass through the neutral zone to Kunichika, who fed Waites at the Lakers blueline. Waites came in and fired a wrist shot between the pads of DiTondo.

Mercyhurst turned up the intensity in the second period, scoring twice in a span of 1:52 and out-shooting RIT 17-7 to grab a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.

Luczak tied the game at 1-1 at the 10:34 mark, as her shot from a screen found its way past Binnington after repeated offensive zone pressure by the Lakers. Janiga and Bestland assisted on the goal.

Janiga was the recipient of a nice passing play down low to give the Lakers their first lead of the weekend at the 12:26 mark. Molly Byrne won a battle behind the net and fed Bestland, creating a 2-on-1 in front. Her pass across found an open Janiga, who was able to tuck the shot into the open side for her seventh goal of the season.

"Our energy level dropped and Mercyhurst took theirs to a higher level in the second period," said McDonald.

Mercyhurst leads the all-time series between the two schools, 5-1. Yesterday, Binnington made 42 saves, while McCrea scored both RIT goals in a 2-1 win. It was RIT's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent at the Division I level.

The Tigers are back in action next weekend at the Nutmeg Classic hosted by Quinnipiac University. RIT plays the hosts, No. 5 Quinnipiac on Friday at 4 p.m. and on Saturday, play either Yale or Connecticut.