The Lindenwood women's hockey team hung with the No. 7 team in NCAA Division I for two periods on Friday night in Erie, Pa., but Mercyhurst proved to be too much in a 6-2 setback for the Lady Lions.
 
Goalie Sarah McGall made her first collegiate start and did not allow a goal while both teams were at full strength. The Lakers took advantage of special situations though as they scored four power-play goals, one shorthanded goal, and an empty-net score.
 
Lindenwood struck first in the game when Alyssa West scored unassisted just three minutes into the contest. Mercyhurst answered just over five minutes later, and the two teams were tied after one.
 
In the second period, Mercyhurst scored at the 1:40 mark to go ahead 2-1. It would only be ahead eight seconds though as Jordyn Constance immediately scored for the Lady Lions, with assists from Britannia Gillanders and West. The Lakers would score one more time in the period and take a 3-2 lead into the final period.
 
In the third, Mercyhurst finally pulled away with three goals. The big goal came just 41 seconds into the period when the Lakers scored shorthanded to push their advantage to two.
 
Mercyhurst finished with a 39-17 advantage on shots, and the Lakers were four-for-seven on the power play. Lindenwood did not score on four power-play opportunities.
 
McGall made 33 saves in her first collegiate start. Darby Dodds, Nicole Rash, Brooke Peden, Katie Nokelby, and Xylia Lang were all +1 for the contest. Shara Jasper had four of Lindenwood's 11 blocks.
 
Lindenwood will look to split the series on Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.