Scoring isn’t coming easy for Mercyhurst. With only 20 goals in 10 games thus far, the Lakers have a shooting percentage of .058 and are fifth in their conference in goals scored. They’ve lost top scorers Julia Schalin, Vanessa Upson, Payten Evans, and Thea Johansson over the last two seasons. Julia Perjus was an impactful recruit, but she was the only player to exceed 15 goals last year.
Mercyhurst made it through last season without top-end goal scorers thanks to contributions from the middle of their lineup. But with the departure of players like Sophie McKinley, Jade Maisonneuve, and Jess Ciarrocchi, they can no longer count on the same depth to fill the gaps.
The Lakers desperately need more offense. Freshmen Mariia Polozkova and Halle Duchene are answering the call.
Through the first 10 games of the season, Polozkova leads the team in goals (5), and Duchene leads in points (9). The linemates account for 8 of Mercyhurst’s 20 goals thus far. Both players were recognized with AHA Rookie of the Week honors for their glowing starts.
Early in the NCAA season, it’s hard to tell who’s breaking out and who’s riding a high shooting percentage that’ll regress as months pass. For freshmen, there’s an expected cool-down period after a hot start. The faster pace and physicality of the NCAA can catch up to young players. Both Polozkova and Duchene, however, are showcasing skills that indicate they can maintain this production over the long term.
Mariia Polozkova can score from anywhere
While Polozkova’s shot is her most valuable attribute, she isn’t a one-dimensional player. Her talent was apparent long before she joined the NCAA. She spent the majority of her teen years playing in both the U18 Russian league and the Zhenskaya Hockey League (ZhHL), Russia’s top-tier women’s league. At age 16, Polozkova was named Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in the ZhHL. Polozkova moved to the United States a year before her NCAA debut and joined the New Hampshire Mountain Cats, a tier-1 U19 hockey academy. In her 37 games, Polozkova registered 53 goals.
The quality of Polozkova’s shot begins with good fundamentals. She keeps her feet shoulder-width apart, rotates her body with her feet toward the net, and transfers weight from her back to front leg for a harder shot. The power she generates makes her a scoring threat from anywhere in the offensive zone. In the Oct. 9 game against Lindenwood, Polozkova got her fourth goal of the season from the top of the face-off circle. She aimed the shot through two defenders with enough strength and accuracy to beat goaltender Ebba Ridderstolpe. Three of Polozkova’s 5 goals thus far have been mid-range shots.
Polozkova generates the same force and accuracy while in motion. Her goal against the University of Connecticut came on the rush, off a pass from linemate Zoe Cramer. Polozkova didn’t change her speed to receive the pass and used her momentum to catch and release the puck in one quick motion.
Polozkova has 36 shots on the year and a 13.9 shooting percentage. Ten games is not a large enough sample size to know if she’ll maintain that pace, but she has the right tools to be a dangerous scorer for Mercyhurst.
Halle Duchene threads the needle
Duchene joined Mercyhurst from Saskatchewan’s U18 AAA league. In 2025, she was named the Esso Cup top forward for her play with the Saskatoon Stars. She went on to represent Saskatchewan at the U18 National Championships.
With Mercyhurst, Duchene has 6 assists on the year, 5 of which are primary. Three have been on Polozkova’s goals. Duchene and Polozkova didn’t cross paths prior to Mercyhurst, but it hasn’t taken long for them to get on the same page. The smooth playmaking of Duchene is an easy fit with Polozkova’s scoring talent.
Polozkova and Duchene are a dynamic duo
Their compatibility was apparent as early as Oct. 3, the second game they played together. With six seconds left in the second period, Duchene followed a rebound into the corner and gained control of the puck, under pressure from a Syracuse defender. With little hesitation, she got an accurate pass through the slot to an undefended Polozkova. The freshman winger had a fraction of a second to get a shot off and managed to do it not only in time but with enough quality to beat one of the better goaltenders in the AHA.
Duchene and Polozkova’s chemistry translates beyond the plays where Polozkova scores. The duo’s precise passing led to a goal for Cramer earlier in the game against Syracuse. Polozkova completed the zone entry and, knowing she didn’t have any option to drive the net, pulled up. Once Duchene entered the zone, Polozkova made a cross-ice pass to Duchene, who didn’t need to slow her stride to receive it. Duchene carried that momentum to close in on the net and pass to Cramer in the slot for the goal.
As teams take notice of Polozkova and put extra defense on her, the ability to adjust becomes more important. In Mercyhurst’s series against UConn, Polozkova had five shots and a goal in game 1. The Huskies responded with more defensive pressure on Polozkova in game 2 and held her to one shot. Yet, Polozkova and Duchene still played a role in Mercyhurst’s only goal.
Entering the zone off the rush, Polozkova went toward the net, pulling a defender down low with her. Duchene carried the puck along the boards and drew the other Connecticut players toward her, leaving Sofia Ljung wide open. She passed across the ice and through UConn’s defense for Ljung to score.
These are the moments when we can appreciate the other skills powering Polozkova and Duchene. Pass accuracy, finding space to receive a pass, and good decision-making about when to shoot and when to try for a different look are aspects of what makes both players effective contributors. While they each have a role on their line, they aren’t inflexible.
Finding a fit down the middle
Duchene and Polozkova began playing on the same line during Mercyhurst’s third series of the year. For most of the games, fellow freshman Cramer has centered the pair. While Cramer hasn’t shown on the scoresheet quite as much, she has been dominant in the circle, with a face-off win percentage of 61.6.
The biggest drawback to a line entirely of freshmen is on the defensive side. Against a tough UConn team, the trio was on the ice for 3 of 4 goals against. They looked timid at points when challenging UConn’s forwards and struggled to maintain positioning when set up for zone defense.
Sophomore Berlin Lolacher could slot in at center with Polozkova and Duchene if the Lakers want to match them up with a more experienced player. Mercyhurst could also move Perjus back to center. Perjus has played on the wing most of the season but proved to be a good center last year. By placing Regina Metzler or Perjus with Duchene and Polozkova, Mercyhurst would have three of their best scorers together but risk a lack of balance. Luckily for the Lakers, they have the center depth to experiment and two wingers who’ve demonstrated they have what it takes to be top-six players.
