Jan. 13, 2008

Aston, Pa. --The Neumann Knights women's ice hockey team finished off a weekend road sweep of Chatham College with a 6-3 triumph Saturday night (Jan. 12) and a 5-1 win on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 13). Mel Brunet had a standout performance with 53 saves in the two games and Jessica Schroeder scored four goals including her first career hat-trick in Sunday's win. With the two-game conference sweep Neumann improves to 5- 5- 2 and 4- 3- 1 in the ECAC West while Chatham falls to 0-15- 0 and 0- 8- 0.

In Saturday's game Neumann took a commanding 2-0 lead in the first nine-minutes of play. Jessica Schroeder scored her ninth goal of the season 0:41 into the opening period. Kristin Gauthier put the Knights up 2-0 after controlling a pass from Carly Fitzsimmons at the 9:34 mark. The Knights went up 3-0 in the last minute of play, in the opening set, as Samantha May slid her fifth goal of the season past Chatham's goaltender after being set up by Tabatha Schury and Tiffany Baker at 19:10. 

Chatham broke through the Knights defense 9:50 into the second period but Neumann shut its host down for the remainder on the middle frame and managed to score the game winner at 15:27.

Team captain Carolyn Fauteux made it a 5-1 game 27 seconds into the third period of play. Niki Blazenko and Robyn Armstrong were credited with assists on the play. Chatham answered with two consecutive goals to close the gap on the Knights but Armstrong added some insurance with the final goal of the night at 12:09 giving Neumann the 6-3 win.

On Sunday Neumann found itself trailing the Cougars, 1-0, after the first 20-minutes of play. However, the Knights answered with five unanswered goals to complete the weekend sweep. Neumann received three-goals and one-assist from Schroeder, who recorded her first hat-trick of her career and got a goal each from May and Fauteux.     

The Knights return to Aston to host Williams College at the Ice Works Quad Arena next Friday and Saturday (Jan. 18-19).