Box Score
INDIANA, PA – The seventh-ranked Crimson Hawks were unable to stave off a late run by the 12th-ranked Lakers, falling to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference leader Mercyhurst 15-13 in the cold and snow on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Both teams were streaky, with neither able to garner more than a three-goal advantage.
 
The Lakers got on the board first, scoring less than two minutes in off of a free position shot.
 
Amy Weinberg (Clarksville, MD/Atholton) tied the game at 1-1 a minute later, igniting a three-goal run from the Crimson Hawks, putting them up 3-1.
 
The two teams exchanged goals, but with 9:03 remaining in the first half, the Lakers again tied it up 4-4, before taking their biggest lead of the game with just over a minute to play. A goal by Mercyhurst's Anna LeGrett at the 1:09 minute mark gave the Lakers the 7-4 lead.
 
With time winding down in the first half of play, Brittney Palardy (Perry Hall, MD/Perry Hall) was able to send a shot past the Mercyhurst goalkeeper, cutting the Lakers' lead to just two heading into the break.
 
Palardy picked up where she left off to get things started in the second half, netting two straight goals to tie the game at 7-7.
 
A goal from each team kept it tied at 8-8, but back-to-back goals from Drew Hayden (Gibsonia/Pine Richland) and Palardy gave the Crimson Hawks the two-goal advantage with 15:15 to go in the second.
 
Mercyhurst kept the pressure on, scoring two straight to tie things up at 10-10.
 
The Crimson Hawks again responded with two goals of their own, with free position shots from Palardy and Sarah Ward (Murrysville/Franklin Regional ). However, keeping up with the tone of the game, Mercyhurst answered, scoring three unanswered to take the 13-12 lead.
 
Weinberg was able to keep the game alive for IUP, scoring on a free position shot with 5:47 to go, tying the game at 13-13. That, however, would be the last the of the IUP offense as the Lakers would score the final two goals, walking away with the 15-13 victory.
 
Draw controls were the deciding factor in the second half, as the Lakers edged IUP out 12-5 in the second half and 18-12 in the game.
 
The Crimson Hawks outshot the Lakers 31-27 but Mercyhurst's goalie made five more saves. IUP forced 16 Mercyhurst turnovers, compared to just eight on their own side.
 
Palardy finished the game with six goals off of nine shots, adding one caused turnover. Weinberg added three goals, one assist, one ground ball, one caused turnover and seven draw controls. Hayden posted two goals, one assist, four ground balls, three caused turnovers and one draw control.
 
Defensively, Brenna Gallagher (Evans City/Seneca Valley) recorded two ground balls and six caused turnovers while Taylor Norwood (Chantilly, VA/Chantilly) added two ground balls, one caused turnover and three draw controls, while posting one assist.
 
With the loss, the Crimson Hawks fall to 10-3 on the season, in a three-way tie with Lock Haven and Mercyhurst for first in the PSAC. They will finish out the regular season with three straight home games, hosting Shippensburg, West Chester and Bloomsburg Friday, Saturday and Wednesday, April 23.
 
Things are slated to get underway Friday from Miller Stadium at 3 p.m.