ERIE, PA – The RIT women's hockey team (12-16-5, 8-10-1 CHA) suffered a 4-0 loss at College Hockey America foe Mercyhurst University (14-13-5, 11-6-2 CHA) from the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Friday afternoon.
 
The Lakers scored three goals in the third period, including consecutive tallies by Sarah Hine 1:48 apart to secure the win. Michele Robillard assisted on all three third period goals. Sam Isbell and Samantha Fiesler also scored for the Lakers. Kennedy Blair stopped all 19 shots she faced for the shutout.
 
Logan Land (Turkey Point, Ontario/Holy Trinity Catholic) led all RIT players with three shots on goal. Terra Lanteigne (Hatchet Lake, Nova Scotia/Charles P. Allen) made 25 saves on 28 shots over the first 49 minutes before senior Jenna de Jonge (Abbotsford, British Columbia/George Elliot) played the final 11 minutes, stopping 12 of 13 shots.
 
Mercyhurst out-shot RIT, 41-19, including 20-3 in the third period. Mercyhurst was 1-for-4 on the power-play, while RIT was 0-for-3.
 
"We need to learn from today and take advantage of our power-play opportunities," said Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach Chad Davis. "We needed to show more push back in the third period, especially when down 1-0. Terra gave us a chance to win. We want to finish the regular season with a big effort tomorrow."
 
Neither team scored over the opening 20 minutes of play, as Mercyhurst held a slight 10-7 edge in shots on goal.
 
The Lakers opened the scoring in the second period on a goal by Isbell just before the halfway mark.
 
RIT would get a power-play in the opening seconds of the third period, but failed to take advantage. The Lakers would gain the momentum with the two big goals by Hine. Fiesler would close the scoring with a power-play goal with 2:25 left.
 
Mercyhurst has now won two of three regular season meetings this season. The two teams split a pair of previous matchups. RIT scored three times to rally and defeat Mercyhurst, 4-2 on Jan. 18, while the Lakers took the second matchup in overtime, 3-2 on Feb. 2.
 
RIT remains fourth in the CHA standings. RIT and Penn State will play each other in the first round of the CHA Tournament from Harborcenter in Buffalo on Wednesday, March 6. For the moment, Mercyhurst moves into sole possession of second place with 24 points.
 
RIT and Mercyhurst will both wrap up the 2018-19 regular season Saturday afternoon from the Mercyhurst Ice Center at 1 p.m.