Box Score (PDF)

ERIE, Pa. --- After losing to Mercyhurst 5-1 on Friday night, Cornell women's hockey one-upped the Lakers on Saturday afternoon, taking a 6-1 win to split the weekend series. Junior Hanna Bunton notched her first career hat trick and added an assist for four points, while senior Jess Brown, freshman Micah Hart and junior Kaitlin Doering all finished with two points.

On three consecutive shifts to start the game, the Lakers got in close on Cornell goaltender Paula Voorheis, but each time, the Big Red defense shut down the attack before Mercyhurst could get the shot off.  On the Lakers' first genuine chance of the afternoon, Voorheis slid across the crease and gathered a one-time shot. Just moments later, she made a kick save that generated a counter opportunity for Cornell that resulted in a matching pad stop from Lakers goalie Sarah McDonnell at the other end.
 
With a new all-freshmen line of Christian Higham, Diana Buckley and Pippy Gerace on the attack, sophomore Erin O'Connor walked in from the point and had her shot blocked away by McDonnell right onto the stick of Higham, who went top corner to put Cornell ahead, 1-0, at 7:01 of the first period. The goal marked Higham's second of the season, and four of the five Cornell players on the ice for the goal were freshmen.
 
The Big Red (3-5-2, 1-2-2 ECAC Hockey) had another chance midway through the period and drew a penalty on the play, sending Cornell to the power play for the first time. Bunton made it 2-0 for the Big Red with a power play goal from the high slot on a pass from Micah Hart with 6:26 left in the first, Cornell's second man-advantage tally of the weekend.
 
Bunton netted her second of the day and seventh of the season before the first period horn had sounded. Senior Jess Brown stole the puck at the Cornell blue line and found Bunton all alone behind the Lakers defense in the neutral zone. Bunton skated in on McDonnell and found the top right corner to give the Big Red a 3-0 lead with 2:22 to go in the first stanza.
 
Junior Caroline DeBruin had an impressive shift early in the second period that started with a shot block in Cornell's own end. She then caught a pass on the wing and fed a puck in front that popped up high. Jessica Convery, who replaced McDonnell in net at the beginning of the second period, batted it out of the air on the goal line as DeBruin drew a penalty behind the net.
 
Much of the second frame was spent with the sides exchanging power plays. Merychurst's Morgan Stacey headed to the box for a checking from behind call 11:29 into the period and Lauren Kilroy joined her 1:06 later, giving the Big Red a 5-on-3 advantage before Cornell was flagged for a penalty of its own. The Big Red played 4-on-3 for 16 seconds before the teams were even with four a side. Just six seconds after Kilroy came out of the box giving Mercyhurst a power play, Emily Janiga was called for a penalty to send it back to 4-on-4 and then give Cornell a power play. Shortly after Janiga's penalty expired, the Big Red once again went to the kill with just over two minutes left in the period. Despite nearly half of the second frame being played with at least one team short a player, neither team found the back of the net. Cornell narrowly led in shots for the period, 9-8, but had a 4-0 edge in power play shots.
 
Rachael Smith got one back for Mercyhurst (6-6-2, 5-0-1 CHA) early in the third period with a low shot from the left circle.
 
But no wind left the Big Red's sails, as Bunton completed her hat trick 3:17 later, getting a pass from junior Kaitlin Doering in the high slot, calmly getting the puck under control, and firing past Convery to give Cornell a 4-1 lead. The hat trick was Cornell's first since Feb. 3, 2015, when Emily Fulton scored three in a 3-2 win over Colgate, and the goal was Bunton's eighth of the season, a new career high just 10 games in.
 
DeBruin, who had had quality chances in both games this weekend, found the back of the net with 12:53 to go to make it 5-1, the same score as Friday night's game on the other side of the scoreboard.
 
Doering got the Big Red's second power play tally of the afternoon and third of the weekend on a shot that was originally waived off. Upon review by the officials, it was determined to be a good goal. Brown and Bunton were credited with the assists.
 
As the period wound down, tensions began to rise, resulting in 3-on-3 hockey for 1:07, but nothing came of it, giving the Big Red the wild 6-1 victory. Voorheis was solid in net all afternoon, posting 24 saves in the win.
 
Cornell will stay out of conference for another weekend, heading to Vermont for games against Boston University and Vermont on Nov. 27 and 28 in the Vermont Women's Hockey Classic.