AMHERST, N.Y. - With steady rain showers falling for the duration, the Daemen College women's soccer team suffered a 2-0 non-conference defeat to Mercyhurst University under the lights at a soggy Dimp Wagner Stadium tonight.

With the loss, Daemen falls to 3-6-1 overall this season while Mercyhurst (4-3-2 overall) improved to 4-1-1 in its last six games after going winless in their first three contests of the season.  Daemen had come into tonight's game as winners in three of their last four outings, but the Wildcats were shutout at home for the second-straight time, including a 0-0 double-overtime draw versus Walsh University in their last action at Dimp Wagner Stadium (September 13).

Both teams took awhile to get going amidst the downpours as neither team recorded a shot until the 14:54 mark of the opening frame.  That shot, a header from the Lakers' Fawn Mulholland on a corner kick opportunity, appeared headed for the back of the net but a Daemen defender negated the attempt at the goal line.

Later in the period, Daemen appeared to strike first when Stephanie Zurales (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) sent a high-arching shot from the right wing to the back of the net, but as the ball was played to her, the linesman's flag went up indicating offsides which wiped out Zurales' ensuing shot attempt at the 23:09 mark.

Mercyhust would get on board at the 27:24 mark.  After the Wildcats were whistled for a foul, MU's Rebekah Reynolds took the ensuing free kick from 40 yards out, sending the ball into the box where it found the foot of streaking winger Nicole McAlpin.  McAlpin just touched the pass enough to flick it past Daemen goalkeeper Meaghan O'Leary (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) for the Lakers' 1-0 lead.

Daemen would go on to generate a pair of chances to knot the score late in the half.  First, a Rose Carboni (Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) corner kick found the head of redshirt-freshman Sarah Britton (Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse-Minoa) but Britton's attempt sailed just high over the crossbar at the 36:36 mark.  Later, Carboni herself would send in a shot on a free kick from just outside the box, but that was turned away by MU goalkeeper Ellie McDougall at the 38:27 mark.

In the second half, Carboni would try again on a free kick from a similar area as her first attempt, but she again denied by McDougall, this time at the 57:07 mark.  Later, on another free kick opportunity, Daemen got some penetration into the box with a pass that found Meghan Lipinoga (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Canisius College), but the senior couldn't get enough on the shot which McDougall corralled, keeping the Lakers ahead by one at the 72:45 mark.

Mercyhurst added an insurance tally at the 75:01 mark, scoring on a corner kick opportunity.  O'Leary deflected an initial header attempt by Kristina Roberti, but the ball hit off the crossbar, came back down in front of the goal and was touched home by Ingrid Karoliussen to put the guests ahead by two.

Daemen would generate another scoring chance on a header by Lipinoga with less than seven minutes remaining, but this attempt sailed just high, and the Wildcats weren't able to threaten past that.

McDougall made five saves to earn her second shutout of the season for the Lakers.  O'Leary made three saves for the Wildcats.

With a roster that features 11 foreigners, Mercyhurst was making its first trek to Amherst since 2007.  The Lakers now lead the all-time series with Daemen, 3-0.

Daemen next jumps back into East Coast Conference play by visiting rival Roberts Wesleyan College this Friday, October 2 for a 5 p.m. matchup in Rochester.  For continuing coverage on the Daemen College women's soccer team throughout the season, follow @DaemenWSOC and  @DaemenAthletics on Twitter.