NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Mercyhurst fell to Sacred Heart 2-0 on Saturday, despite a strong defensive effort that kept the game close throughout.
The first quarter saw both teams striving to establish control, but neither Mercyhurst nor Sacred Heart managed to break through defensively. Goalkeeper Louise Pert was pivotal early on, turning away several Sacred Heart shots to maintain a scoreless draw. Despite several fouls committed by the Lakers, they held firm defensively, with key penalty corners by Jen Kemp late in the quarter. The period ended 0-0.
In the second quarter, Mercyhurst faced a challenging defensive stretch as Sacred Heart pressed with multiple penalty corners. Pert made several crucial saves to keep Sacred Heart at bay until late in the quarter, when the hosts finally broke through to take a 1-0 lead heading into halftime…