ERIE, Pa. – Despite a season-high four goals, IUP lost to Mercyhurst 6-4 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) field hockey matchup on Tuesday afternoon.
 
Of the four goals, junior Ericka Griffith (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) scored twice, while sophomores Madelyn Mullen (Chester Springs, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) and McKenzie Noll (Lewisburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) added the other two. Noll assisted on Griffith's second goal, giving her a team-leading five for the year.
 
IUP is now 4-7 overall on the season and 2-4 in conference play. Mercyhurst improves to 4-7 and 2-3 in the PSAC.
 
Mercyhurst scored the game's first two goals in the 11th and 25th minutes to take a 2-0 lead into halftime. The scoring then took off in the second stanza, with five total goals scored in the first 12 minutes. The Lakers scored twice just 20 seconds apart in the 37th minute to jump on top by a score of 4-0.
 
The Crimson Hawks battled back, with Griffith scoring from five yards in the 43rd minute for IUP's first score. Mullen then beat the Mercyhurst goalie on the right side to make it a 4-2 game just three minutes later.
 
Mercyhurst answered in the 47th to take a 5-2 lead and then went on top by four goals with another score in the 57th. Griffith scored her second goal in the 59th minute to cut the deficit in half at 6-3 and Noll added the final goal of the game off of a corner as time expired.
 
The game was the first of two road contests for the Crimson Hawks this week. They'll head to Slippery Rock on Friday night.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP field hockey on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfieldhockey.