WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – A five-goal first period from the Wilkes University women's ice hockey team proved to be the difference as the Colonels defeated Neumann University 9-0 at the Toyota SportsPlex Friday afternoon.

Wilkes improves to 18-1-1 with the win and a 15-1-1 record in MAC play. Neumann falls to 5-16-0 overall and 3-13-0 in conference.

It didn't take long for the Colonels to get on the board as Renee Ng (Hong Kong, China/Mount Academy) lit the lamp less than two minutes into the first period. At 5:45 Carissa Hann (Windsor, ON) doubled the lead, with the Navy and Gold pushing it to three off the stick of Haylee Bouchard (Sioux Lookout, ON/) at 8:37.

After assists on the first two goals it was Polina Telehina's (Kyiv, Ukraine) turn to find the back of the net, lifting the puck and scoring from behind the goaltender to make it a 4-0 advantage. Gianna Pacilio (Franklinville, NJ/) made it five with less than three minutes remaining to take a 5-0 lead into the break.

Wilkes added two more in quick succession in the second, as Lily Zingaro (Collingwood, ON) and Hannah Franz (North Bay, ON/) got on the scoresheet less than thirty seconds apart to make it 7-0 Colonels.

In the third, Tilly Wierdsma (New Hartford, CT) rippled the net from a near parallel angle and Nina Hudakova (Košice, Slovakia/Hoosac Prep School) deked past the goaltender to reach the final score of 9-0.

Nine different Colonels scored on the day, with Wierdsma, Telehina, Bouchard, and Hudakova leading the team with three points each. Carissa Hann (Windsor, ON) led the team with seven shots on goal and finished the day +7. Between the pipes, Emily Connell (Berwick, NS) made 10 saves in the shutout win.

Charlotte Labre and Chloe Ballew led Neumann with three shots each. Brook Adams started the game in goal for the Knights making 13 saves and allowing four goals, while Noelle Woodard finished the game making 38 saves in 44 minutes of ice time.

Today's game was the team's Mental Health Awareness Game, highlighting the Morgan's Message and Do It For Daron (DIFD) mental health initiatives. Pre-game, a ceremonial puck drop was performed by Dr. Todd Hastings, faculty advisor of another mental health awareness initiative on campus, the Green Bandana Project.

The Colonels return to the ice tomorrow as they travel to face Arcadia University in a MAC matchup at 1:40 p.m.