Nov. 7, 2015
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's hockey team tied College Hockey America opponent Mercyhurst, 1-1, Saturday afternoon at the Pegula Ice Arena. Senior Shannon Yoxheimer (Jackson, Mich.) netted her 36th career goal as a Nittany Lion in the game.
"That was one of the best, if not, the most consistent efforts this team has produced in its four year history, from start to finish," head coach Josh Brandwene said. "It was just a really great consistency and an outstanding job sticking to the game plan. I am really, really pleased with the effort today. That was a playoff atmosphere, and that's what it is all about."
Neither team was able to find the back of the net until the third period. The Nittany Lions (3-7-2, 0-2-2) outshot the Lakers (3-5-2, 3-0-1), 20-18, in the first two frames, including a 14-9 advantage in the second stanza.
In the opening period, Mercyhurst outshot, Penn State, 9-6, and both teams went 0-for-1 on the power play.
Following a tripping call against Penn State at the 15:54 mark in the first period, Mercyhurst went to work with the man-advantage, but less than a minute later, Molly Blasen was called for tripping prompting 4-on-4 play and a Nittany Lion power play to follow.
Less than five minutes into the third period, Aly Hardy (St. Albans, Vt.), near the boards in the Mercyhurst end, found Yoxheimer, who was along the boards behind the Mercyhurst net. Yoxheimer, with the puck, wrapped around the goal and beat McDonnell for her second goal of the 2015-16 campaign.
The Nittany Lion lead held until roughly eight minutes left in regulation when Brooke Hartwick tied the game at one. On the power play, Mercyhurst moved the puck around the Nittany Lion zone before Hartwick tallied a shot on goal from point-blank range.
Penn State went on the penalty kill early in the overtime period, but Mercyhurst was unable to capitalize with the man-advantage.
Following a 23-save performance last night, Mercyhurst's Sarah McDonnell tallied 25 saves Saturday, while Celine Whitlinger (Garden Grove, Calif.) made 27 saves today after 29 saves in the series-opener.
The Nittany Lions now begin a 12-game road trip starting Friday, Nov. 13, at Robert Morris. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa. The weekend series concludes Saturday, Nov. 14, at 3:05 p.m.