Yesterday’s 11-1 loss to Mercyhurst(3-1, 2-0 CHA) didn’t sit well with Quinnipiac coach Michael Barrett. Disappointed with his team’s play in its CHA opener yesterday, he wanted the girls to come out fighting hard and playing mad. Although the Lakers won 2-1, the Bobcats (0-2, 1-2 CHA) did not disappoint their coach with their aggressive and spirited play.
“We didn’t do ourselves any justice yesterday,” Barrett said. “We have a depleted roster right now but the players that we have can still get it done. We will need to settle down and play with more confidence.”
After a scoreless first period, Mercyhurst drew first blood on Justine Jackson’s first goal of the year 1:45 into the second period. Mercyhurst sophomore Jackie Jarrell scored what turned out to be the game winner five seconds into a power play at 16:34 of the second period to make the score 2-0.
“It was a good shot from our defenseman Dani Jo (Lansing),” said Jarrell of her eventual game-winner. “I just tipped it in. It was a good goal for us since we won 2-1.”
Quinnipiac answered quickly when Bobcat Gillian Gallagher scored a nice shorthanded goal 1:15 later but that was all Quinnipiac could do offensively in the loss.
Bobcat goalie Catherine Lapare had a respectable performance by stopping 37 of 39 shots. Although Lapare didn’t have to make any spectacular saves, she didn’t allow many second opportunities for the Lakers to bury the puck.
Mercyhurst goaltender Desi Clark only faced 16 shots but made some nice saves in getting her third win of the year. Halfway through the second period, she made a glove save on a puck that was already behind her. Mercyhurst coach Mike Sisti was proud of his goaltender and thought Desi was an unsung hero today.
Sisti said, “In a game where she didn’t get much action, sometimes going 7, 8, or 9 minutes without a shot, we would have a breakdown and Quinnipiac would get two or three real good opportunities. I think she was really solid and it’s tough for a goalie to stay sharp when she isn’t getting a lot of work in.”
In the third period, Quinnipiac played desperate hockey in its bid to leave Erie with at least a tie. The Bobcats chased down every puck and didn’t allow many opportunities for the Lakers to set anything up. But Quinnipiac’s depleted lineup, made even thinner by Ashley Jaffray’s misconduct in the third period, proved too much to overcome.
Mercyhurst travels to Canton, N.Y. next week to play a weekend series against St. Lawrence. St. Lawrence is coming off of a sweep of Connecticut this weekend. Mercyhurst and St. Lawrence split their early season series last year at Mercyhurst.
