THE DETAILS
#6 Bloomsburg (3-2, 0-0 PSAC) at Mercyhurst (1-2, 0-0 PSAC)
Saturday, September 16, 2017 - 1:00 p.m.
Tullio Field - Erie, Pa.

GAME COVERAGE
Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/hurst/fhockey/

RELATED LINKS
Bloomsburg - Schedule | Roster | Statistics
Mercyhurst - Schedule | Roster | Statistics

STORYLINE
Both teams will be looking to snap two-game losing streaks on Saturday when the sixth-ranked Huskies visit the Lakers of Mercyhurst. Bloomsburg started the season with a 3-0 record but have since lost to then-#1 Shippensburg and then-#4 West Chester in back-to-back contests. The Lakers opened the season with a 2-1 win over American International but have since lost road contests at then-#3 Millersville and Seton Hill.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Bloomsburg is a perfect 20-0 lifetime against Mercyhurst in the all-time series but had to fight for a 1-0 victory last season over the Lakers at Steph Pettit Stadium. The Huskies outshot Mercyhurst, 19-2, but got only a goal from Abby Sauder (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal) with just under 16 minutes left in regulation to secure the victory. Lindsay Cassel (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) stopped two shots in the win while Mercyhurst's Sam Takac posted nine saves in a losing effort.

RHOADS WATCH
Head coach Nikki Rhoads is in her eighth season as the head coach of the Huskies and is just three wins away from becoming the second coach in program history to reach 100 career victories. Rhoads has a career record of 97-45 as the Bloomsburg head coach and trails only legendary coach, Jan Hutchinson, in career wins at the school.

LAST TIME OUT FOR BOTH TEAMS
The Huskies fell for the second straight game on Tuesday, September 12, after dropping a 5-1 decision at fourth-ranked West Chester. The Golden Rams jumped out to a 4-0 lead before junior Abby Sauder (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal) got the Huskies on the board with her team-leading fifth goal of the season with 9:04 left in regulation. West Chester scored less than two minutes to complete the scoring. Freshman Dana Sheply (Maple Shade, N.J./Maple Shade) posted six saves in the loss as she fell to 3-2 on the season.

Mercyhurst jumped out to a 2-0 lead at Seton Hill on Tuesday with a pair of goals from Nicolette Tomani and Clare Ahern 50 seconds apart early in the first half. The Griffins, however, stormed back with three unanswered goals in the second half to stun the Lakers. Mercyhurst outshot Seton Hill, 20-11, including a 14-2 margin in the first half. Laker goalkeeper Victoria Triaga was credited with four saves in the loss.

SCOUTING BLOOMSBURG
The Huskies, ranked sixth in the latest Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll, enter the contest with a record of 3-2 but are looking to snap a current two-game losing streak. Bloomsburg has outscored its opponents, 22-11, and is averaging 4.40 goals per game on the season - second in the conference. Senior MacKenna Mahan (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) and junior Abby Sauder (Mount Joy, Pa./Donegal) lead the offensive attack. Mahan is tied for third in the conference in total points (11) and ranks tied for sixth in the league in goals with four. Sauder leads the team with five goals on the season and is tied for third in the PSAC in that category. Sauder and junior Brooke Zeiders (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove Area) (four goals, two assists) each have ten points apiece which is tied for sixth in the league. In goal, freshman Dana Sheply (Maple Shade, N.J./Maple Shade) has seen the bulk of the action as she has started all five games for the Huskies. Sheply has a record of 3-2, a 2.23 goals against average, and a .676 save percentage. She ranks seventh in the league in goals against average and ninth in save percentage.

SCOUTING MERCYHURST
The Lakers also are looking to avoid a three-game losing streak as they bring 1-2 record into the showdown on Saturday.  Mercyhurst has been outscored 10-5 on the season and have scored 1.67 goals per game - tied for eighth in the PSAC. Clare Ahern leads the Laker attack with two goals and two assists for six points. Leah Rodgers is second on the team in scoring with one goal and one assist for three points. In net, Victoria Triaga has played every minute posting a 1-2 record. Triaga has made 12 saves on the season while posting a .545 save percentage. She is tenth in the league with a 3.33 goals against average.

UP NEXT
Bloomsburg will return to Steph Pettit Stadium on Wednesday, September 20 when it hosts Mansfield University on Faculty Appreciation Day. Start time is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.