ASTON, Pa. – The Neumann University women's ice hockey team fell in its season opener on Friday evening, dropping a 4-1 result to visiting SUNY Cortland.

Jackie Schneider scored the Knights lone goal of the game off an assist from freshman Katelyn Brown. Julia Fair was solid in goal, making 36 saves in the loss.

The opening period of play would be a back and forth affair with both teams generating chances. Cortland opened the scoring on the power play 7:37 into the game to take a 1-0 lead, but Neumann would answer right back. After earning a power play of their own, the Knights retaliated with an equalizing goal on a great play from Brown. The freshman forward gained the puck in the offensive zone, circled the net and fired a perfect pass to Schneider, who ripped the puck past the Red Dragon goalie to knot the game up at 1-1. Unfortunately for Neumann, that would be the last highlight of the game. With the game still tied late in the first period, Cortland found the back of the net to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

Using momentum from the late first period goal, the Red Dragons continued to put the pressure on Neumann in the second stanza. The Knights held Cortland at bay for a majority of the period, killing off two early Red Dragon power-plays, but the visitors finally broke through at the 16:03 mark. The game would head to the third period with Cortland holding a two-goal advantage at 3-1.

Neumann fought hard to get back into the game in the final period of play, but could not put a dent in the Cortland lead. An early power play gave the Knights a chance to get a goal back, but a Red Dragons shorthanded goal killed any chance of a comeback on the night. The game would finish 4-1 in favor of Cortland.

Neumann (0-1) is right back in action tomorrow afternoon with a rematch versus Cortland. Puck-drop is scheduled for 2:00 PM.