MINNEAPOLIS – The Mercyhurst women’s hockey team returned to the site of its last Frozen Four game – University of Minnesota’s Ridder Arena.
This experience wasn’t any better. The Lakers fell behind 13 seconds into their NCAA Division I semifinal matchup with Boston University. They never recovered on the way to a season-ending 4-1 loss Friday night that ended Mercyhurst’s hopes at the program’s first national championship.
Instead, the third-seeded Terriers (28-5-3) will play for the title Sunday at 4 p.m. against defending champion Minnesota at Ridder Arena. The host Golden Gophers (40-0-0) beat No. 4 Boston College 3-2 in overtime in the opening semifinal to extend their winning streak to 48 straight games.
The Terriers, which have won 10 straight games, have reached the title game for the second time in the past three seasons. They beat Cornell in the semifinals before losing to Wisconsin 4-1 in the championship game at Erie Insurance Arena.
Mercyhurst (29-7-1) finished the season one win shy of matching the most single-season wins in program history. Mercyhurst avoided the shutout on Christie Cicero‘s 14th goal of the season with 1:53 left in the game. Christine Bestland and Vaila Higson assisted on the goal.

NCAA Women’s Frozen Four schedule
at Ridder Arena – Minneapolis, Minn.
Semifinals – Friday
No. 1 Minnesota 3, No. 4 Boston College 2 (OT)
No. 3 Boston University 4, Mercyhurst 1
Championship game – Sunday
Minnesota (40-0-0) vs. Boston University (28-5-3), 4 p.m.
Note: The title game will be streamed live on NCAA.com.

SUMMARY

Boston Univ. 4, Mercyhurst 1
Mercyhurst 0 0 1 — 1
Boston Univ. 1 1 2 — 4
1st Period — 1. BU, Jenelle Kohanchuk 24 (Poulin, Fratkin), :13. Penalties — Bestland (M) tripping, 4:41; Lefort (B) slashing, 8:08.
2nd Period — 2. BU, Isabel Menard 16 (Warren), 1:00. Penalties — Cicero (M) body checking, 3:03; Dingeldein (M) roughing, 5:14; Warren (B) roughing, 5:14; Lefort (B) elbowing, 11:40; Dingeldein (M) roughing, 11:40; Stoneburgh (B) 5-min. grasping the facemask, 11:40; Byrne (M) body checking, 14:21.
3rd Period — 3. BU, Kathryn Miller 2 (Kohanchuk), 3:02. 4. BU, Marie-Philip Poulin 18 (unassisted), 9:57. 4. Mercyhurst, Christie Cicero 14 (Bestland, Higson), 18:07. Penalties — BU, too many players on the ice, 12:26; Fratkin (B) interference, 15:44.
Shots on goal — Mercyhurst, 6-11-11—28; BU, 12-16-4—32.
Goaltenders — Mercyhurst, Stephanie Ciampa 19-2-0 (32 shots, 28 saves); BU, Kerrin Sperry 24-4-3 (28 shots, 27 saves).
Power plays — Mercyhurst (0-5), BU (0-2).

The Mercyhurst University women’s hockey team was special on special teams Friday night.
The ninth-ranked Lakers scored four power-play goals on five chances, and were a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill, on their way to a 6-3 win against Providence at Mercyhurst Ice Center. Molly Byrne scored both of her goals with the man advantage and added an assist for a three-point outing.
Christie Cicero scored twice for the Lakers (4-0-1). Jenna Hendrikx, Jenna Dingeldein and Christine Bestland had two assists apiece.
The two teams meet again Saturday at 2 p.m. at MIC.

SUMMARY

Mercyhurst 6, Providence 3
Providence 0 2 1 — 3
Mercyhurst 0 3 3 — 6
1st Period — None. Penalties — Chippy (M) body checking, 3:02; Hanrahan (P) holding, 15:18.
2nd Period — 1. Mercyhurst, Molly Byrne 2 (Dingeldein, Bestland), 2:01 (pp). 2. Mercyhurst, Vaila Higson 1 (Luczak, Dingeldein), 2:44 (pp). 3. Providence, Molly Illikainen 2 (Anderson), 16:33. 4. Mercyhurst, Byrne 3 (Bestland, Hendrikx), 19:00 (pp). 5. Providence, Rebecca Morse 1 (Romanchuk), 19:25. Penalties — Anderson (P) interference, :53; Vella (P) interference, 1:17; DeSutter (M) holding, 7:04; DeSutter (M) interference, 10:44; Cohen (P) holding, 17:15; Byrne (M) slashing, 19:44.
3rd Period — 6. Mercyhurst, Emily Janiga 6 (Hendrikx, Byrne), 4:19 (pp). 7. Providence, Allison Micheletti 1 (Groth, Vella), 14:08. 8. Mercyhurst, Christie Cicero 2 (Buquet), 17:02. 9. Mercyhurst, Cicero 3 (Bram), 19:48 (en). Penalties — Morse (P) tripping, 3:36; Dingeldein (M) roughing, 5:02; Cicero (M) cross checking, 14:17.
Shots on goal — Providence, 8-11-8—27; Mercyhurst, 9-14-16—39.
Goaltenders — Providence, Sarah Bryant 1-1-0 (38 shots, 33 saves); Mercyhurst, Amanda Makela 2-0-1 (27 shots, 24 saves).
Power plays — Providence (0-5), Mercyhurst (4-5).
Attendance — 750.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Mercyhurst University women’s hockey team welcomed Rochester Institute of Technology to the big time harshly Friday night in front of 1,055 fans at Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena. The Lakers scored twice in the first 18 seconds and four goals in the opening period on the way to handing the Tigers a 6-2 loss in their first NCAA Division I game.
The 10th-ranked Lakers (1-0-0, 1-0-0 College Hockey America) scored six unanswered goals before RIT (0-1-0, 0-1-0), which moved to D-I after winning the D-III national championship a season ago, scored twice in the second period.
Christie Cicero scored eight seconds into the game on an assist from Christine Bestland. Cicero returned the favor 10 seconds later, as she set up Bestland for a 2-0 Lakers’ lead. Jenna Hendrikx, one of three transfers from the now-defunct women’s program at Niagara, scored the first of her two goals 8:13 into the first. Molly Byrne capped the onslaught 6:29 later.
Shelby Bram and Hendrikx scored early in the second for the Lakers, which produced offensively despite failing on all eight power-play chances. Carly Payerl and Katie Hubert scored for the Tigers, which went 1-for-8 on the power play.
Bestland had two assists in her three-point outing while Cicero had two points. Freshman Jenna Dingeldein had her first two career points, both assists, in her collegiate debut. Kathy Donohue, a Rochester native, and Emily Janiga, also recorded their first collegiate point on assists. Sophomore goaltender Amanda Makela (19 saves on 21 shots) earned the win in her second career start. The Lakers and Tigers complete the weekend series today at 2 p.m. in Rochester.

MANKATO, Minn. – The Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team is on a rare losing streak.

The eight-ranked Lakers suffered their second straight defeat- their first skid of any length since October 2008 – with a 3-2 overtime loss to unranked Minnesota State-Mankato at Verizon Wireless Center on Friday night.

Nicole Germaine scored with 49 seconds left in overtime to drop the Lakers to 1-2-0 this season and improve the Mavericks to 3-0-0.

The teams complete the two-game series today at 1:07 p.m. The Mavericks took a 1-0 lead into the third period, and then extended it to 2-0 on Emmi Leinonen’s goal 9:07 into the third. But the Lakers rallied to tie at 2, as Wayne State transfer Gina Buquet and freshman Kristine Grenier scored 13 seconds apart.

Grenier scored the equalizer with 4:29 left. But that momentum wasn’t enough for the Lakers in the third.

Pamela Zgoda and Christie Cicero had an assist apiece for the Lakers. Mercyhurst transfer Lauren Barnes had an assist for the Mavericks.

SUMMARY

Mavericks 3, Lakers 2 (OT)

Mercyhurst  0  0  2  0  —  2

MSU  1  0  1  1  —  3

1^st Period — 1. MSU, Emmi Leinonen 1 (Smith), 16:45. Penalties — Rogan (MSU) 11:38; S. Bram (MC) body checking, 13:07.

2^nd Period — None. Penalties — Andersson (MSU) interference, 11:25; Byrne (MC) tripping, 13:45; Andersson (MSU) tripping, 14:58.

3^rd Period — 2. MSU, Leinonen 2 (Smith, Barnes), 9:07 (pp). 3. Mercyhurst, Gina Buquet 1 (Zgoda), 15:18. 4. Mercyhurst, Kristine Grenier 1 (Cicero), 15:31. Penalties — Leinonen (MSU) elbowing, 2:56; B. Bram (MC) roughing, 5:51; Otto (MSU) roughing, 5:51; B. Bram (MC) interference, 8:22; Luczak (MC) tripping, 12:20.

Overtime — 5. MSU, Nicole Germaine 2 (Zrust, Smith), 4:11. Penalties — None.

Shots on goal — Mercyhurst, 9-9-8-3—29; MSU, 11-10-4-2—27.

Goaltenders — Mercyhurst, Hillary Pattenden 1-2-0 (27 shots, 24 saves); MSU, Alli Altmann 2-0-0 (29 shots, 27 saves).

Power plays — Mercyhurst (0-4), MSU (1-4).

Attendance — 162.

What: No. 4 Mercyhurst College (18-5-0, 7-0-0 CHA) at Robert Morris (4-16-3, 1-5-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.

Where: RMU Island Sports Center – Pittsburgh

On the air: www.americaone.com (Internet video), www.rmucolonials.com (Internet radio)

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Jr. G Hillary Pattenden (16-5-0 record, 2.36 goals-against average, .896 save percentage, 3 shutouts), Sr. F Meghan Agosta (24 goals, 33 assists, 57 points), Sr. F Vicki Bendus (15-23-38), Sr. F Jesse Scanzano (14-21-35), Jr. F Bailey Bram (11-21-32)

Robert Morris – Jr. F Brianna Delaney (8-11-19), Sr. F Sara O’Malley (8-10-18), So. F Dayna Newsom (4-14-18), Fr. F Thea Imbrogno (6-9-15), So. G Kristen DiCiocco (3-5-3, 2.97, .885)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers begin a four-game road trip to College Hockey America rivals Robert Morris and Niagara. They play six of their final nine regular-season games on the road. … They enter tonight’s game off a 3-0 home loss to No. 2 Cornell on Tuesday – the Lakers’ first shutout loss in more than a year and their first in the regular season in more than five years. … The loss snapped a four-game winning streak that included three straight shutout victories. … The Lakers have won all 24 career meetings with the Colonials by a combined 127-37 score, including a 7-3 win at home Oct. 29. … Agosta, the nation’s leading scorer, needs 12 points to top the NCAA’s career scoring mark of 285 set by three-time Olympic medalist Julie Chu while at Harvard (2002-05, 2006-07). …  Agosta needs eight goals to break the NCAA career record of 150 set by Harvard’s Nicole Corriero from 2002-05. … Agosta and Scanzano have combined for 25 goals and 59 points in 14 career games against RMU. … Pattenden is five wins shy of Laura Hosier’s Lakers record of 74 career wins set from 2004-08. … Bram and freshman F Christie Cicero (7-5-12) are the reigning CHA player and rookie of the week.

Robert Morris – The Colonials have lost three straight and are winless in six of their last seven games. … They are 1-6 against ranked opponents (two-game split with then-No. 10 Providence, two losses to then-No. 1 Cornell, a loss to No. 4 Mercyhurst and two losses to No. 1 Wisconsin). … They begin a four-game home stand after playing the last eight games on the road. Their last home game was a 1-1 tie with Maine Nov. 27. … They have been outscored 26-13 in seven conference games.

Up next: at Niagara (Jan. 28, 7 p.m.; Jan. 29, 2 p.m.)

– Victor Fernandes

HAVERHILL, Mass. – Junior Bailey Bram and freshman Christie Cicero of the No. 4/5 Mercyhurst College women’s hockey team earned two of the three College Hockey America weekly honors Monday.

Bram was tabbed CHA Player of the Week while Cicero earned CHA Rookie of the Week honors.

Both players helped the Lakers sweep Brown by the scores of 6-0 and 12-0 and stretch their winning streak to four games.

Bram combined for nine points in the two wins. After dishing out three assists on Friday, she exploded with two goals and four assists for a career-high six points as the Lakers notched 12 goals in game for the firsttime since the 1999-00 season.

Cicero scored two goals and registered two assists over the weekend. She marked a goal and an assist in each game, improving her rookie totals to seven goals and five assists on the season.

- From Mercyhurst news release

What: No. 4 Mercyhurst College (13-3-0) at Easton Holiday Showcase

When: Saturday vs. St. Cloud State (0-16-1), 4:07 p.m.; Sunday vs. No. 2 Wisconsin (16-2-0), 1:07 p.m.

Where: National Hockey Center – St. Cloud, Minn.

On the air: www.americaone.com (Internet video), www.kvsc.org (Internet radio)

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Jr. G Hillary Pattenden (12-3-0 record, 2.41 goals-against average, .891 save percentage, 1 shutout), Sr. F Meghan Agosta (18 goals, 20 assists, 38 points), Sr. F Jesse Scanzano (8-17-25), Jr. F Kelley Steadman (12-7-19), Fr. F Christine Bestland (8-11-19)

St. Cloud State – Fr. F Molli Mott (2-4-6), Fr. F Julia Gilbert (2-3-5), So. F Kylie Lane (2-2-4), Jr. F Brittany Toor (3-0-3), Sr. G Ashley Nixon (0-13-1, 4.73, .884)

Wisconsin – Sr. F Meghan Duggan (16-18-34), So. F Brianna Decker (15-16-31), Jr. F Hilary Knight (19-11-30), Jr. F Brooke Ammerman (10-14-24), Fr. G Alex Rigsby (11-1-0, 1.86, .919, 3 SO)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers opened the season with 9-1 and 6-1 home wins against St. Cloud State on Oct. 1-2 to improve their record in the all-time series to 7-1-1. … The Lakers face Wisconsin for the first time since losing 5-0 in the 2009 NCAA Division I championship game. The Badgers have won all six career meetings. … Senior F Vicki Bendus (11-20-31) and junior F Bailey Bram (9-14-23) will miss this weekend’s games and next weekend’s two-game College Hockey America series against Syracuse to play for their native Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team in the MLP Cup, which runs from Tuesday through next Saturday in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland. … Steadman rejoined the team Friday after spending the past week at the USA Hockey Women’s Winter Training Camp in Blaine, Minn. … Agosta leads the nation in scoring. … Scanzano needs eight points to join Agosta (255) and Valerie Chouinard (201 from 2005-08) as the only players in program history to reach 200. … Freshman F Christie Cicero (Manalapan, N.J., native) and sophomore G Stephanie Ciampa (Peabody, Mass.) rejoined the team Thursday after being stuck at home because of last weekend’s East Coast snowstorm. … Michael Sisti (295-81-26) needs five wins to become the sixth women’s coach to reach 300. … Pattenden stands nine wins shy of equaling 2008 graduate Laura Hosier’s school record of 74. She has a season and a half left to equal Wisconsin alumnus Jessie Vetter’s Division I record of 91.

St. Cloud State – The Huskies are the only winless Division I program (men or women) in the nation. … They earned their only point of the season Dec. 3 with a 2-2 tie against defending national champion Minnesota Duluth. The Huskies won the shootout 1-0, but the win doesn’t count in the standings. … They continue a stretch of eight straight home games. … They have 15 underclassmen on the roster. … The Huskies also face No. 10 Northeastern (10-4-4) on Sunday.

Wisconsin – The Badgers’ only losses have been to UMD and 2010 national runner-up Minnesota. … They are coached by Mark Johnson, a member of the gold medal-winning 1980 United States Olympic hockey team and coach of the 2010 U.S. Women’s Olympic team, which won silver in Vancouver last winter. … The Badgers (5.06 goals per game) are second nationally to Mercyhurst (5.31) in scoring offense. … They are fourth in scoring defense (1.72), 11 spots ahead of Mercyhurst (2.31). … Senior D/F Geena Prough (1-4-5) transferred from Mercyhurst after the 2008-09 season. … Prough joined seven teammates and Steadman at USA Hockey camp. … Senior F Mallory Deluce (2-10-12), junior F Carolyne Prevost (10-7-17), junior D Brittany Haverstock (1-7-8) and sophomore D Stefanie McKeough (3-7-10) have joined Bendus and Bram at the MLP Cup in Switzerland.

Up next: vs. Syracuse (Jan. 7, 7 p.m.; Jan. 8, 2 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes

What: Colgate (5-10-0) at No. 3 Mercyhurst College (9-2-0)

When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

Where: Tullio Arena

On the air: www.americaone.com (Internet video)

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Jr. G Hillary Pattenden (9-2-0 record, 2.06 goals-against average, .907 save percentage, 1 shutout), Sr. F Meghan Agosta (13 goals, 12 assists, 25 points), Sr. F Vicki Bendus (8-14-22), Jr. F Bailey Bram (8-9-17), Sr. F Jesse Scanzano (4-12-16)

Colgate – So. F Brittany Phillips (6-6-12), So. F Jenna Klynstra (6-3-9), So. D Jordan Brickner (1-6-7), Jr. D Amanda Kirwan (1-6-7), Fr. F Jocelyn Simpson (3-3-6)

Bailey Bram (Contributed/Mercyhurst College)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – Bram (ill) rejoins the lineup after being hospitalized last week. … D Samantha Watt (concussion) won’t play today. … Freshman F Christie Cicero returned to game action last weekend at Wayne State after missing the previous month with a leg injury. … The Lakers have won 14-of-18 career meetings with the Raiders (14-2-2), including 8-3 and 8-2 wins at Mercyhurst Ice Center last season. … Agosta leads NCAA Division I with 2.50 points per game and trails Quinnipiac freshman F Kelly Babstock (27 points), Ohio State junior F Laura McIntosh (26) and Boston College senior F Kelli Stack (26) in overall scoring. … Agosta is third in goals per game (1.30) and tied for fourth in goals. … Bendus (1.40), Agosta (1.20) and Scanzano (1.09) are among the top five in assists per game. … The Lakers rank second to Wisconsin in scoring offense (5.50 goals per game to 5.36). … Junior F Jess Jones (4-5-9) had a five-point outing and seven total points in the two-game sweep of Wayne State last weekend.

Colgate – The Raiders are 1-3 against ranked opponents this season. They lost to then-No. 9 Boston College 4-0 on Oct. 8, defeated then-No. 9 New Hampshire 1-0 in overtime the next day, lost to then-No. 10 Providence 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 16 and fell to then-No. 10 Harvard 3-1 on Nov. 6. … Their only wins against Mercyhurst were in the 2004-05 season (3-0) and in 2008-09 (4-3). … Colgate, a member of ECAC Hockey, enter today off a 4-3 loss to Syracuse, the Lakers’ College Hockey America rival … The Raiders face their first non-conference road game of the season.

Up next: vs. Niagara (Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Dec. 4, 2 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes

What: No. 4 Mercyhurst College (7-2-0, 1-0-0 CHA) at Wayne State (5-5-0, 1-1-0)

When: Today, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.

Where: City Sports Arena – Detroit

On the air: www.wsuathletics.com (Internet radio)

Players to watch

Mercyhurst – Jr. G Hillary Pattenden (7-2-0 record, 2.18 goals-against average, .903 save percentage, 1 shutout), Sr. F Meghan Agosta (10 goals, 9 assists, 19 points), Sr. F Vicki Bendus (6-12-18), Sr. F Jesse Scanzano (3-9-12), Fr. F Christine Bestland (4-8-12)

Wayne State – So. F Julie Ingratta (6-5-11), Jr. F Alyssa Baldin (7-2-9), Jr. D Jill Szandzik (1-8-9), Jr. F Lauren Ragen (4-2-6), Jr. G Delayne Brian (2-6-1, 2.34, .935)

Fast facts

Mercyhurst – The Lakers return to College Hockey America action after a two-week layoff since losing to CHA rival Niagara in a non-conference game Nov. 6. … The Lakers’ two losses occurred in the final game before a two-week break. Two weeks after an Oct. 16 loss at Bemidji State, they beat Robert Morris 7-3 at home. … Junior F Bailey Bram (7-9-16) has been hospitalized the past few days with an undetermined ailment, coach Michael Sisti said. She will miss tonight’s game, as will sophomore D Samantha Watt (concussion). … Freshman F Christie Cicero (leg) has been practicing, but Sisti is unsure if she will play. … Agosta and Bendus, who rank among NCAA Division I’s top scorers, rejoin the lineup after winning gold with their native Canada at the Four Nations Cup in St. John’s, Newfoundland, last weekend. They missed the loss to Niagara. … The Lakers have won 10 straight against the Warriors and 42-of-47 in the all-time series (42-2-3). … Sisti (289-80-26 career record) needs 11 wins to become the sixth NCAA women’s coach to reach 300.

Wayne State – The Warriors begin a four-game home stand after playing the last eight games on the road. … They have won three of their last four. … They split a season-opening, two-game series with Bemidji State, a team that split with the Lakers in October, and shut out St. Cloud State, which lost to the Lakers. Wayne State also battled then-No. 4 Minnesota in a 1-0 road loss … The doubleheader benefits CHA’s Skate for the Cure event, which benefits the America Cancer Society. … Coach Jim Fetter was Sisti’s assistant from 2000-03.

Up next: vs. Colgate at Tullio Arena (Nov. 27, 2 p.m.)