Oct. 10, 2004
ERIE, Pa. - The Bemidji State women’s hockey team was forced to settle for a series split with non-conference foe Mercyhurst Sunday afternoon after dropping the contest 4-2 at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. In Saturday’s game the Beavers won 2-1 while getting outshot 47-14, but the Lakers picked up the win in today’s game despite being outshot 30-24 by the visitors.

BSU scored the lone goal of the first period at the 13:34 mark as sophomore Kelly Hart netted her second goal of the weekend off helpers from freshman Haley Balcom and sophomore Helena Tageson. The assist for Balcom was the first of her collegiate career, while Tageson earned her second assist of the season on the goal.

Mercyhurst opened the second period with a power-play goal from Julia Colizza just 38 seconds after the puck was dropped. The Lakers struck again at the 6:30 mark off an even-strength score by Jackie Jarrell.

Less than a minute after Mercyhurst jumped ahead 2-1, sophomore Kate Robinson evened the score at 2-2 with her first goal and second point of the 2004-05 campaign. Juniors Melissa Schaeffer and Mandy Bambrough each collected assists on Robinson’s tally.

The score remained tied 2-2 until 9:02 of the final period, when Teresa Marchese notched a short-handed goal to put the Lakers ahead 3-2.

Bemidji State tested Mercyhurst goalie Desirae Clark early and often in the third stanza, compiling 14 shots, all of which were turned away by the senior netminder.

Looking for one final chance at tying the score up at 3-3, BSU head coach Bruce Olson took a time-out with 28 seconds left in the contest and soon after junior goalkeeper Jill Luebke was pulled for the extra skater. The gamble did not pay off this time, however, as Sara McDonald tallied an empty-net goal at 19:47 to solidify a 4-2 win and series split for the Lakers.

Luebke finished with 20 saves in a losing effort and her record now stands at 1-1-0. Clark moves to 1-1-0 on the season after stopping 28 shots for Mercyhurst.

The Beavers drop to 1-1-0, while the Lakers improve to 1-1-0. Bemidji State travels to Madison, Wis., for its Western Collegiate Hockey Association-opener against #3 Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17. The games will be played at the Kohl Center and are set to start at 2:05 p.m. both days.