The Aurora University women's hockey team collected nine goals in the final regular season game of the year on the back of a Samira Schmidt hat trick. Three different Spartans had multiple goals with five total scoring. Down 2-0 after one period, AU went on to defeat Dubuque 9-4.


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 9, University of Dubuque 4
LOCATION: Geneva, Illinois - Fox Valley Ice Arena
RECORDS: Aurora University 10-14-0 overall and 8-10-0 NCHA, University of Dubuque 4-21-0 overall and 3-15-0 NCHA

 
- AU got behind early as Dubuque scored two in the first period. Their first goal would be one of the short-handed variety.
- Dubuque would lead that same 2-0 going into the second period.
- AU lit a fire under themselves coming into the second period as they would score five unanswered in the period.
- The first Spartan goal came just over a minute into the period when Samira Schmidt scored her first goal of the afternoon with assists from Jillian Bilsborough and Emiliana Cassillo.
- In the fifth minute, Schmidt would get her second goal with help again from Bilsborough and now Cara Cook. 
- Not two minutes later Jenna Hassell scored her first goal of the season, and first of her career with assistance from Teagan Moffat and Courtney Docktor.
- AU scored again in the 12th minute when Schmidt completed her hat trick with help from Moffat and Alex Johnson on the power-play. 
- An AU Spartan penalty left them short handed only 30 seconds later, but that didn't matter for Bilsborough as she broke away with the assist from Cook and scored to put AU on top 5-2. That would prove to be the game winning goal.
- The AU Spartans led 5-2 heading into the final period of play.
- AU would score their sixth consecutive goal in the eighth minute of the third period Cook scored a short-handed goal of her own with the assist from Bilborough.
- Dubuque would score for the first time since the first period when they scored back-to-back goals in the 10th and 11th minutes. Of which, the first would be short-handed. 
- Those would prove to be their final goals of the game.
- AU's lead would now be 6-4 just over halfway through the final period.
- AU would scored consecutive goals that were just nine seconds apart when at 16:19 Abbey Mazzella scored unassisted.
- The second goal would be Bilsborough scoring again, this time with help from Schmidt and Cook.
- Au's ninth and final goal of the contest came with 1:30 left on the clock when Mazzella collected her second of the game, also unassisted.
- AU closed out the regular season with a 9-4 win over Dubuque.

 
Points: Jillian Bilsborough (5) and Samira Schmidt and Cara Cook (4)
Goals: Samira Schmidt (3) and Abbey Mazzella, and Jillian Bilsborough (2)
Assists: Jillian Bilsborough and Cara Cook (3) and Teagan Moffat (2)
Saves: Macy Blooming (26)


Next scheduled action for the Spartan women's hockey team comes on Friday, February 20 when they travel to Concordia University Wisconsin in the first round contest of the NCHA Playoffs. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Mequon, Wisconsin.