ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Mercyhurst University women’s hockey team didn’t start fast this time around.
The 10th-ranked Lakers didn’t score in the first period after scoring twice in the opening 18 seconds in Friday’s season opener.
But the Lakers responded strong in the final two periods of a 7-0 College Hockey America win against Rochester Institute of Technology Saturday afternoon in front of 630 at James Ritter Memorial Ice Arena. Mercyhurst (2-0-0, 2-0-0 CHA) swept the season-opening series from the Tigers (0-2-0, 0-2-0), which are in their first season as a NCAA Division I program.
Freshman Emily Janiga provided the offensive spark with the first three goals and four points of her collegiate career. She snapped a scoreless tie 8 minutes, 15 seconds into the second period, and scored again 5 minutes later. She also assisted on Shelby Bram‘s goal that opened a 3-0 lead with 1:13 left in the period.
Janiga capped her first career hat trick 6:31 into the third. Christine Bestland scored twice in the period – her second and third goals of the season – and added two assists for a four-point outing. Kelsey Welch, one of three transfers from Niagara, scored her first goal as a Laker. Fellow transfers Jenna Hendrikx and Kaleigh Chippy had an assist apiece. Molly Byrne and Vaila Higson each had two assists for the Lakers, which went 3-for-9 on the power play after failing on all eight chances Friday.
Senior goaltender Stephanie Ciampa stopped all 17 shots she faced for her first career shutout in her sixth career start. The Lakers head to Hamden, Conn., next weekend for a two-game non-conference series at Quinnipiac.

The Mercyhurst women’s hockey team has gained from the loss of a College Hockey America rival for the second straight year.
The Lakers have added senior forwards Jenna Hendrikx and Kelsey Welch and junior forward Kaleigh Chippy from Niagara, which folded its program in March in the wake of the athletic department’s restructuring plan. The trio ranked among the Purple Eagles’ top four scorers this past season with a combined 23 goals and 54 points. Last summer, the Lakers added graduating senior defenseman Jill Szandzik and rising senior forward Gina Buquet from Wayne State, which folded its program after the 2010-11 season.
The newest transfers headline Lakers coach Michael Sisti‘s 12-player recruiting class for the 2012-13 season. They are joined by nine freshmen – forwards Jaclyn Arbour, Hannah Bale, Jenna Dingeldein, Kathy Donohue, Emily Janiga, and Maggie Rothgery; defensemen Lauren Kilroy and J’nai Mahadeo; and goaltender Julia DiTondo.
DiTondo, a native of Kenmore, N.Y., who played for the Nichols School and the Buffalo Bisons’ Tier I program, will compete with senior Stephanie Ciampa and sophomore Amanda Makela for the chance to replace Hillary Pattenden, a four-year starter in goal.
Mahadeo, a native of Airdrie, Alberta, played for the prestigious Edge School in Calgary, Alberta. Kilroy joins the Lakers from the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe, Vt., by way of her hometown of Cypress, Calif.
Sisti recruited two forwards apiece from western New York – Donohue (Rochester) and Janiga (East Aurora) – and Ontario – Bale (Oakville) and Dingeldein (Toronto). Donohue joined Kilroy at the North American Hockey Academy, while Janiga played with DiTondo at Nichols.
Arbour, a native of South Seatauket, N.Y., played for the National Sports Academy in Lake Placid, N.Y. Her grandfather, Hall of Fame coach Al Arbour, led the NHL’s New York Islanders to four straight Stanley Cup championships from 1980-83.
Rothgery, a native of Elyria, Ohio, played for the Ohio Flames Under-19 team. The Lakers’ season begins Sept. 22 with an exhibition game against the Stoney Creek (Ontario) Sabres at Mercyhurst Ice Center.