HAMBURG, NY (October 27, 2023) -- The pair of Abby Barlocker and Maddie Vaughan each scored a pair of goals as the King's College women's ice hockey team earned a 7-2 victory over Hilbert College on the road on Friday evening to hand first-year head coach Josh Hoff his first career victory. The Monarchs begin the 2023-24 season 1-0-0 overall, while the Hawks fall to 0-1-0.
 
Despite trailing in the shot column 12-10 after the first period, King's (1-0-0) was efficient in the scoring column. Just 5:42 into the game, Ryan Bisgard netted her first collegiate goal thanks to assists from Tessa Deemer and Brenna Munn to put the Monarchs on the board. Two quick goals from Becca Allen and Kait Wolf a minute apart in the ninth and tenth minutes, respectively, with Sammi Stead assisting Allen and Emma Dos Santos lending out a helper to Wolf, saw the King's lead increase to 3-0 with 4:17 remaining in the period. Then with 53 ticks to go, Barlocker found the net for her first collegiate tally as King's held a 4-0 edge after the opening period.
 
Hilbert (0-1-0) claimed the second period, putting up a pair of scores, the first 2:07 into the frame and then again with just 20 seconds to go, but the Monarchs maintained their 4-2 advantage after the first 60 minutes of action.
 
King's found their stride again in the third as Barlocker scored again on an assist from Amanda Sokol 1:31 into the final period. The Monarchs then scored their first power play goal of the season as Maddie Vaughan got into the scoring column thanks to a feed from Wolf just 2:26 later. Vaughan struck again on another power play opportunity with 7:37 left in the game as Allen and Deemer assisted, and King's remained steady down the stretch as they defeated the host Hilbert, 7-2, in their season opener on Friday evening.
 
Vaughan had a career night for the Monarchs, tying the single-game record with her two power play goals off four shots while also adding 10 face off wins. Barlocker also scored her two goals on four shots. Allen and Wolf each collected two points on a goal and an assist, while Deemer posted two points with two assists. Additionally, Issy Lebrun fired off a team-high nine shots while earning 12 face off victories in the win. Syd Dahl collected the complete-game win on Friday night, including all 12 shots faced in the first and all nine from the third.
 
Jacqueline Alaburda led the Hawks with a goal on a team-best nine shots with five blocks, while Anna Faulker recorded a game-high 19 face off wins. In the net, Jewely Monford earned the loss while making 28 saves.
 
As a team, the Monarchs edged out Hilbert 35-32 in the shot column and 34-28 in face off wins.
 
King's will return to the ice at the Nike Base as they take on Hilbert in game two of their weekend series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m. in Hamburg, N.Y.