Erie, PA -- The women's ice hockey team is coming off a season that was initially paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mercyhurst finished the year with a 10-7-1 record while earning the second seed in the CHA Championship Tournament. 

After a first round bye, the Lakers were defeated in the semifinals by Robert Morris 3-2. Now, the Lakers led by Head Coach Mike Sisti in his 23rd year will look to bring the program its 16th CHA Championship and possibly more this upcoming season.

Schedule Breakdown

Mercyhurst is slated to play 17 conference games and 16 non-conference games during the regular season. 17 of the regular season games will take place at the Mercyhurst Ice Center while 14 will be played on the road. 

The Lakers will have two neutral site games that will take place in Nashville, Tenn. as part of the Smashville NCAA Women's Hockey Showcase. The opponents for this showcase will be the University of Minnesota and either Boston College or Colgate.

The remaining non-conference opponents on the Lakers schedule include RPI, Franklin Pierce, Colgate, Union College, Cornell, St. Lawrence, and LIU. Mercyhurst's CHA schedule consists of RIT, Penn State, Lindenwood, and Syracuse. 

Mercyhurst opens up their regular season schedule in a CHA matchup between RIT on Sunday Sept. 19 at 12:05 p.m.

Coaches Corner

Head Coach Mike Sisti is entering his 23rd year at the helm of Mercyhurst Women's Hockey. Sisti currently holds a 508-192-59 career record with Mercyhurst, his 508 wins currently put him in third place on the NCAA Division 1 Women's Hockey career wins list.

Joining Sisti on the bench are assistants Beth Hanrahan and Scott Spencer. Hanrahan is entering her 4th year with the program. Spencer is new to the staff this season, he previously was the head coach at fellow CHA member Lindenwood from 2014 - 2020.

Two is Better Than One

Coach Sisti has named not one but two captains for the 2021-22 campaign along with one assistant captain. Graduate student Alexa Vasko will have the "C" on her chest for the third consecutive year. 

Vasko will be joined by fellow graduate student K.K. Thiessen as the two will be sharing captain duties. Senior Sarah Nelles will be wearing the "A" on her jersey for the second year in a row.

Returning Lakers

Mercyhurst is set to have 19 returning players back from last season. Offensively they will return their three top point scorers in Sarah Boucher, Vasko, and Emily Pinto from the shortened 2020-2021 season.  

The sophomore Boucher led the Lakers in points last season with 19. She collected 12 goals and 7 assists throughout the year. Boucher was one of three Lakers last season to be honored at the annual CHA awards banquet. There she was named to the conference All-Rookie Team.

Vasko, who earned all CHA 2nd team honors last year, will continue to be a force for Mercyhurst. Last year she mustered up 14 points (5g,9a) with a +/- rating of +6.

Pinto was the third leading scorer from a season ago, she finished the year with six goals and six assists.

On defense, Theisenn will lead the way along with Jordan Mortlock, Alexandria Weiss, Aubrey Cole, and Calista Rowbottom. Theisenn led the team in blocks last year with 43. Weiss was credited with 25 and Rheaume with 20 respectively. Mortlock led all defenders last year in +/- rating. Her final total on the season was +6.

Defending the Net

Two key goalkeepers are amongst the players returning this year for the Lakers. Juniors Jenna Silvonen and Ena Nystrøm will likely split time in goal. 

Silvonen made eight starts registering a .918 save%. She made 168 saves and produced a 5-2-1 record. Silvonen was also credited with the lone Laker shoutout from last campaign. She spent time this summer with the Finnish National Team at the IIHF World Championships earning a bronze medal.

Nystrøm made 10 starts in 2020-21 posting a .929 save%. The junior from Finland stopped 290 shots last season. The Lakers finished 5-5-0 last season when she was in net.

Newcomers

Mercyhurst has brought in eight freshmen this year. Hanna Zuckow is the lone rookie goalie while rookie forwards include Sydney Wegner, Alyssa Kawa, Marielle Parks, Vanessa Upson, and Kylee Mahoney. Sydney Pedersen and Mary Sweetapple are the two freshman defenders.

Additionally Mercyhurst added transfer Kristy Pidgeon to the roster. The graduate transfer played her first four years of hockey at powerhouse Clarkson University. While at Clarkson Pidgeon won a National Championship in 2018.

The Lakers will begin the 2021-22 season tomorrow at the Mercyhurst Ice Center vs. RIT,  puck drop is set for 12:05 p.m.