Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Shayleigh Albaugh settles a ball during Wednesday’s game against Mercyhurst Prep.

RUSSELL — Eisenhower lost a 2-1 Region 3 heartbreaker to Mercyhurst Prep on Wednesday, allowing the winning goal with just 53 seconds remaining.

Both teams played a strong defensive game throughout, but the Lakers struck first when Makiya Eidenmuller scored on a shot just inside the right post to give her team a 1-0 lead with just 25 seconds remaining in the first half.

Eisenhower would start the second half with the ball and the crisp passing it had all game finally paid off when Sammy Childs found Rosalie Rondeau open and she found the back of the left side of the net to tie the game with 36:03 remaining.

Both teams kept the shots on goal to a minimum and just when it looked like the game would go into overtime, the Lakers were awarded a penalty kick with just 53 seconds remaining.

The Lakers’ Emma Russell would nail a shot just to the left of the Eisenhower goalkeeper to give the visitors a 2-1 lead, which held up for the final score.

“It was a tough loss for sure, but the girls played really well,” Eisenhower head coach Faith Johnson said. “The cohesive style they showed today made it hard on Mercyhurst Prep. I thought Camdyn Black and Abby Jukes played really well on defense today and Sammy Childs continues to facilitate our offense.”

The Knights are back in action this Saturday at 11 a.m. when they travel to Redbank Valley.