# 2015–16 Mercyhurst Lakers women's ice hockey season

The Mercyhurst Lakers represented Mercyhurst University in CHA women's ice hockey during the 2015-16 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Lakers were the regular season champions of the College Hockey America Conference (CHA), as well as the CHA Tournament Champions. They were defeated in the NCAA Championship Tournament by #2 Wisconsin.

## Standings

2015–16 College Hockey America standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Mercyhurst†* | 20 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 55 | 26 | 35 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 92 | 74 |
| Syracuse | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 30 | 56 | 28 | 36 | 19 | 14 | 3 | 96 | 77 |
| Penn State | 20 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 33 | 35 | 37 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 65 | 76 |
| Robert Morris | 20 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 18 | 52 | 57 | 38 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 108 | 97 |
| Lindenwood | 20 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 31 | 46 | 37 | 9 | 24 | 4 | 64 | 102 |
| RIT | 20 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 60 | 36 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 51 | 108 |
| Championship: Mercyhurst † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Current rankings: USCHO.com Division I women's poll |||||||||||||||
* Rankings based on number of wins in the conference

## Offseason

* August 7: Emily Janiga earned her second consecutive invitation to the USA Hockey Women's National Festival in Lake Placid, New York. The festival shall determine the roster of the Under-22 team that shall compete in a three-game series versus the Canadian U22/Development Squad from Aug. 19-23 in Lake Placid.

### Recruiting

| Player | Position | Nationality | Notes |
| Lea Boreland | Forward | United States | Played with Detroit Honeybaked |
| Sarah Hine | Forward | Canada | Was with Stoney Creek Sabres |
| Rachael Smith | Forward | Canada | Played with Hine on Stoney Creek Sabres |
| Molly Blasen | Defense | United States | Played with Boreland and Stacey on Detroit Honeybaked |
| Nicole Collier | Defense | Canada | Third recruit from Stoney Creek Sabres |
| Samantha Fieseler | Defense | Canada | Gold medalist with 2014 Team Canada U18 |
| Morgan Stacey | Defense | United States | Played with Blasen and Boreland on Detroit Honeybaked |
| Sarah McDonnell | Goaltender | Canada | Fourth recruit from Stoney Creek Sabres |
| Kerri St. Denis | Goaltender | United States | Acclaimed Goaltender with Assabet Valley Team |

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||
| October 2 | at #7 Quinnipiac* | TD Bank Sports Center • Hamden, CT | Sarah McDonnell | T 3–3 $^{OT}$ | 0–0–1 |
| October 3 | at #7 Quinnipiac* | TD Bank Sports Center • Hamden, CT | Jessica Convery | L 1–2 | 0–1–1 |
| October 16 | at Northeastern* | Matthews Arena • Boston, MA | Jessica Convery | L 4–5 | 0–2–1 |
| October 17 | at Northeastern* | Matthews Arena • Boston, MA | Kerri St. Denis | L 3–7 | 0–3–1 |
| October 23 | Princeton* | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Jessica Convery | L 2–3 | 0–4–1 |
| October 24 | Princeton* | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | L 1–2 | 0–5–1 |
| October 30 | RIT | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 5–0 | 1–5–1 (1–0–0) |
| October 31 | RIT | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 2–5–1 (2–0–0) |
| November 6 | at Penn State | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 1–0 | 3–5–1 (3–0–0) |
| November 7 | at Penn State | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, PA | Sarah McDonnell | T 1–1 $^{OT}$ | 3–5–2 (3–0–1) |
| November 13 | Lindenwood | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 3–2 | 4–5–2 (4–0–1) |
| November 14 | Lindenwood | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 2–1 | 5–5–2 (5–0–1) |
| November 20 | Cornell* | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 5–1 | 6–5–2 |
| November 21 | Cornell* | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | L 1–6 | 6–6–2 |
| November 24 | at #10 Colgate* | Starr Rink • Hamilton, NY | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–2 | 7–6–2 |
| November 25 | at #10 Colgate* | Starr Rink • Hamilton, NY | Jessica Convery | L 0–3 | 7–7–2 |
| December 4 | Robert Morris | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–1 | 8–7–2 (6–0–1) |
| December 5 | Robert Morris | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | T 4–4 $^{OT}$ | 8–7–3 (6–0–2) |
| January 2, 2016 | Rensselaer* | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 3–1 | 9–7–3 |
| January 3 | Rensselaer* | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 9–7–4 |
| January 15 | at Syracuse | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Sarah McDonnell | L 0–2 | 9–8–4 (6–1–2) |
| January 16 | at Syracuse | Oncenter War Memorial Arena • Syracuse, NY | Sarah McDonnell | W 3–1 | 10–8–4 (7–1–2) |
| January 22 | at Lindenwood | Lindenwood Ice Arena • Wentzville, MO | Sarah McDonnell | W 3–1 | 11–8–4 (8–1–2) |
| January 23 | at Lindenwood | Lindenwood Ice Arena • Wentzville, MO | Sarah McDonnell | L 0–1 | 11–9–4 (8–2–2) |
| January 29 | Syracuse | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–1 | 12–9–4 (9–2–2) |
| January 30 | Syracuse | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | L 1–2 $^{OT}$ | 12–10–4 (9–3–2) |
| February 5 | at Robert Morris | RMU Island Sport Center • Neville Township, PA | Jessica Convery | W 4–0 | 13–10–4 (10–3–2) |
| February 6 | at Robert Morris | RMU Island Sport Center • Neville Township, PA | Jessica Convery | W 6–3 | 14–10–4 (11–3–2) |
| February 12 | at RIT | Gene Polisseni Center • Rochester, NY | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–1 | 15–10–4 (12–3–2) |
| February 13 | at RIT | Gene Polisseni Center • Rochester, NY | Sarah McDonnell | W 2–0 | 16–10–4 (13–3–2) |
| February 19 | Penn State | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | W 2–1 | 17–10–4 (14–3–2) |
| February 20 | Penn State | Mercyhurst Ice Center • Erie, PA | Sarah McDonnell | T 2–2 $^{OT}$ | 17–10–5 (14–3–3) |
| CHA Tournament |||||||
| March 4 | vs. Robert Morris* | HarborCenter • Buffalo, NY (Semifinal Game) | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–2 | 18–10–5 |
| March 5 | vs. Syracuse* | HarborCenter • Buffalo, NY (CHA Championship Game) | Sarah McDonnell | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 19–10–5 |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||
| March 12 | at #2 Wisconsin* | LaBahn Arena • Madison, WI (NCAA Quarterfinal Game) | Sarah McDonnell | L 0–6 | 19–11–5 |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||

## Awards and honors

* Rachael Smith, CHA Rookie of the Year
* Sarah McDonnell, CHA Goaltender Award
* Mike Sisti CHA Coach of the Year
* J'Nai Mahadeo, D, All-CHA Second Team
* Rachael Smith, F, All-CHA Rookie Team
* Molly Blasen, D, All-CHA Rookie Team
* Sarah McDonnell, G, All-CHA Rookie Team