University Park, Pa. – The women's hockey team took a long road trip this weekend to take on Penn State for a two-game road series. Last night (Nov. 4), Aquinas took the ice for late-night hockey and came out with a big 5-1 victory over the home Penn State side.

The women's team improved to 3-4-0 on the year with the win.

Both sides opened up the game with several scoring chances, but both goalies played well and kept the puck out of the net. The scoring would not open up until a powerplay late in the first period for the Saints would give them the go-ahead goal. Lauryn Wood would beat the Penn State net minder to make the score 1-0 with her second goal of the season. Alyssa Exline was credited with the helper on the goal, her second of the season.

Penn State would get a powerplay of its own late in the first, but the Saints would successfully kill it off to keep the score at 1-0. The first period would end with the score still 1-0 with the Nittany Lions outshooting the Saints 17-13.

Aquinas would blow open the scoring in the second period. Penn State would keep AQ out of the net for the first half of the period, but the gates opened starting with a goal at 8:34 on the clock. Darbi Poole would score her third goal of the season to give the Saints a 2-0 lead. Wood and Exline would assist the goal, the third assist of the season for both of the Saints.

Penn State would score just a couple of minutes later to bring the game back to a one goal deficit. However, just two minutes later, Aquinas would immediately respond with another goal to make the score 3-1. Lauren Tulloch would beat the PSU net minder to score her first goal of the season. Gabi Popperl would provide the assist, her first of the season.

With 2:51 on the clock, Aquinas would score yet again to take a commanding three goal lead. Natalie Vaitas would score her second goal of the season with the assist coming from Wood, her second of the game and fourth of the season. The two teams would enter the locker rooms with the score at 4-1 in favor of the Saints. The Saints poured it on in the second period, outshooting the Nittany Lions 28-7.

The Saints would continue to dominate in the third period, outshooting Penn State 17-5. AQ would get one more goal to secure a 5-1 victory. Exline would score the fifth goal with 12:25 on the clock, giving her three points on the night. Kate Kramm was credited with the helper, her second of the season.

The Saints dominated the offensive side of the game in the big win, outshooting Penn State 59-25. Kadynce Romijn would receive the nod in net and play well, saving 24 of the 25 shots on net for a .960 save percentage.

The Saints are back in action tonight (Nov. 5) for the second of the two-game series against the Nittany Lions. The puck is scheduled to drop at 9:15 PM.