ERIE, PA – Despite staying right with the visitors in the opening 15 minutes, the Golden Knights dropped their second straight conference game, a 17-8 loss to IUP.

Gannon gave up the first goal 30 seconds into the first quarter but responded just a few short moments later. Caroline Stevens (Syracuse, N.Y./Liverpool) scored her team leading 19^th goal of the year, and it was 1-1 just 2:21 into the contest.

Down 3-1 midway through the quarter, Alyssa Lerch (Coraopolis, Pa./Moon Area) found the net off a great feed from Ella Todd (Maple Ridge, British Columbia/Maple Ridge Secondary) to cut the deficit in half. IUP would score again before the quarter expired, and the Golden Knights were down 4-2 after 15 minutes.

GU opened the second with a pair of key goals. After surrendering an early tally, Rayla Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and Charlie Hunter (Boston, N.Y./Hamburg) went back-to-back in a span of 47 seconds, and it was a 5-4 game just like that. The Crimson Hawks controlled the quarter from there, scoring six unanswered goals, including a goal with five seconds left in the half to take an 11-4 lead into the break.

Lerch earned her second goal of the afternoon on a free position to start the third. IUP would respond with two straight before Avrey Kirisits (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster Central) notched her 14^th of the campaign with 5:02 on the third quarter clock. IUP would take a 14-6 lead into the fourth.  

The Golden Knights would tally on an early fourth quarter goal, when Kirisits earned her second of the day with GU a player up. IUP would add a pair of goals before Todd made a nice move in front of the net to find the nylon and cut the deficit to 17-8. That held as the final goal and the final score.

GU heads back on the road this upcoming Saturday, when they meet Charleston (WV) for an 11:00 am game.