The 2017-2018 season has been and will continue to be a season of many firsts for the Aurora University women's hockey program. The Spartans will check off another first for the program on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. It is then that the Spartan women will square off against the only other NCAA women's hockey program in the state of Illinois in an outdoor game. 

The game will be a non-conference match-up between the two Northern Collegiate Hockey Association foes and mark the first outdoor game for both women's programs.

OUTDOOR GAME LOCATION AND INFORMATION -
The Winter Club is located less than a mile north of Lake Forest College on Sheridan Road (map/directions). Outdoor hockey has been played there for more than a century and it is currently the home of boys and girls youth teams playing at several different levels.

Temporary bleachers will be brought in for Tuesday's game, although the most popular spots to watch the game, as they were in the 1960s when Lake Forest called The Winter Club its home rink, are expected to be closer to the action along the boards on the east and north sides of the playing surface. Admission to the game is free and, since there is no public parking available at the facility, a shuttle will run from Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse to The Winter Club throughout the evening. Although unlikely, weather could prevent the game from being played outdoors and force the teams to face off in Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. 

Parking and a free shuttle will be provided by Lake Forest. Parking is available at the Sports and Recreation Center/Ice Rink on South Campus. The shuttle will begin making rounds at 5:30 pm and every 15 minutes thereafter. Fans can catch the shuttle bus in front of the Sports and Recreation Center 

WATCH THE GAME ACTION -
A live video webcast and live stats of the game will also be available for those unable to attend.

ABOUT AU - 
- In the first season of NCAA action, AU is 1-9-0 overall and 1-7-0 in the NCHA.
- AU won the first game in school history on Saturday, November 18, a 2-0 victory over Northland College

SPARTAN KEY PLAYERS -
- Marissa Dunbar has two goals and one assist.
- Nicole McKernan has two goals and one assist.
- Becca Binder leads AU as the netminder with a 1-8 record with a 7.39 goals against average and an .871 save percentage with 433 saves on the year thus far.

ABOUT LAKE FOREST - 
- Lake Forest College is currently 7-3-0 overall and 7-1-0 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play.
- The Foresters has won six straight contests entering the game.

FORESTER KEY PLAYERS -
- Olivia Spellmire has 20 points, 10 goals and 10 assists.
- Amy Budde has 19 points, 12 assists and 10 goals.

UP NEXT -
The Spartans will return to the ice on Friday, December 8 when they travel to Angola, Indiana to take on Trine University. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. (EST).