ASTON, PA – Hilbert College Women's Hockey battled back and forth with Neumann University on Friday afternoon but ultimately fell, 5–4, in a hard-fought non-conference matchup at IceWorks.

Hilbert jumped out to an early lead late in the first period after conceding the game's opening goal. Victoria Battaglia scored twice in a span of 46 seconds, first finishing a feed from Caitlin Conrad at 16:55 before striking again off a pass from Jacqueline Alaburda at 17:41 to give the Hawks a 2–1 edge heading into the first intermission.

Neumann tied the game early in the second period, but Hilbert answered quickly. Conrad put the Hawks back in front at 8:17 of the second, converting a chance set up by Battaglia and Sophia Perry. Just over six minutes later, Victoria Koenig added an unassisted goal to extend Hilbert's lead to 4–2. Koenig stole the puck from a Neumann defender before firing her first career goal into the top corner of the net.

The Knights trimmed the deficit to one late in the second period and carried momentum into the third. Neumann evened the score at 12:03 of the final frame before scoring the game-winner just 16 seconds later to take a 5–4 lead.

Battaglia led the Hawks offensively with two goals and one assist, while Conrad finished with a goal and an assist of her own. Koenig scored on her lone shot of the contest and Perry joined Battaglia as a team high, plus two.

In net, Tia Card made 36 saves on 41 shots, including five while shorthanded as the Hawks killed both Neumann powerplay opportunities.

Defensively, Hilbert blocked 13 shots, led by three from Alexandra Yockell and two each from Battaglia, Conrad, and Izabelle Wagner.

UP NEXT:
The Hawks and Knights wrap up the two-game weekend series tomorrow at 2 pm back at IceWorks.