Junior forward Marissa Gebauer posted her first career hat trick to help lead the Forester women's hockey team to a 5-0 victory at Aurora University on Saturday in Lake Forest's Northern Collegiate Hockey Association opener.
Gebauer scored the game's first goal with 4:43 to play in the opening period. Junior forward Samantha Shoebottom and freshman forward Lauren Wensel earned assists on the play. Shoebottom recorded another assist when junior forward Stokli Ashcraft converted a power play opportunity in the final few seconds of the period.
Shoebottom's third assist of the contest accompanied Gebauer's second goal at 3:16 in the second. It was the first of three Forester goals in a little more than three minutes and was followed by Ashcraft's second of the game and season at 4:35. Sophomore forward Caitlyn Dahut earned the assist. Gebauer capped off the rally exactly two minutes later, lighting the lamp for the fifth time this season.
The Foresters doubled up the Spartans 14-7 in shots in the opening period but the home team had a 36-13 advantage the rest of the way.
Lake Forest junior goaltender Hannah Turnage made 41 saves and freshman Donna Fowler added two more after replacing her with 5:58 to play in the contest.
The Foresters are now 4-1-0 overall this season while Aurora was defeated for the first time in seven games this season. The Spartans are now 2-1-0 in league play.
The same two teams waill face off again at Aurora Sunday afternoon at 3:00.