TROY, N.Y. - The Mercyhurst University women's hockey team finished off a two-game, non-league series sweep of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) with a 7-1 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Houston Field House. With the win, the Lakers improve to 5-9-1, while the Engineers drop to 4-11-1.

The two teams traded early first period goals, beginning with Lakers junior Brooke Hartwick (London, ON/Brampton Jr. Canadettes), who tallied just 1:52 into the contest. Assists went to Michele  Robillard (Orchard Park, NY/Nichols School) and Jennifer MacAskill (Auld's Cove, NS/Oakville Jr. Hornets).

Rensselaer drew even at 1-1 less than a minute later, as junior Marisa Raspa (Downington, PA/North American Hockey Academy) netted her first of the season, from freshman Sabrina Repaci (Toronto, ON/Toronto Junior Aeros) and sophomore Jaimie Grigsby (Whitby, ON/Whitby Wolves).

Senior Megan Whiddon (Redondo Beach, CA/National Sports Academy) put the visitors up for good at 4:20 of the first period, with helpers going to classmate Taylor Accursi (Ancaster, ON/Burlington Barracudas) and Hartwick.

Mercyhurst made it a 3-1 game at 5:42, as sophomore Rachel Smith (Stoney Creek, ON/Stoney Creek Sabres) picked up her fifth goal of the season. The Lakers added two more late in the frame for a 5-1 lead after one. Freshman Nichole Guagliardo (Hoffman Estates, IL/Barrington High School) and Accursi scored less than a minute apart with five minutes to play.

Guagliardo added a second goal 6:38 into the second, before sophomore Sarah Hine (Markham, ON/Stoney Creek Sabres) capped the scoring with her second of the season at 18:35.

Sarah McDonnell (Oakville, ON/Stoney Creek Sabres) made 16 saves to improve to 2-5-1, while Lovisa Selander (Sollentuna, Sweden/SDE Riksserien) had 14 saves, including 11 in the third period. Kira Bombay had 26 stops in relief of Selander, before she returned for the final frame.

Rensselaer is back in action next weekend, when it hosts RIT for a two-game series on Friday (4pm) and Saturday (2pm). Mercyhurst hosts Colgate for a pair on Tuesday and Wednesday.