ATTLEBORO, Mass. -- Meg Aiken bagged her first career hat trick en route to the Castleton women's hockey team's 5-0 shutout of Johnson & Wales Saturday evening. 

Aiken's three goals were supplemented by scores from Emery Bonner and Emily Harris, who also gave out three assists. Katherine Campoli chipped in a pair of helpers while Aiken, Alexandra Snow, and Rainey Lay had one assist apiece. Moa Carlsson and Kaitlin Bardellini helped shut down the Wildcats (1-9-2, 1-5-2 NEHC) with three and two blocks, respectively. In goal, Kirsten DiCicco stopped all 19 shots faced for her seventh career clean sheet, second of the season.

Before the Wildcats could attempt their first shot, Bonner gave Castleton (8-6-1, 5-3-0 NEHC) an early advantage with a fifth-minute goal on assists from Harris and Campoli. A Spartan penalty in the 16th minute was killed with just one attempt allowed, giving way to Aiken's second career goal with 11 seconds left in the opening stanza with helpers by line-mates Harris and Johnson.

The Prince Edward Islander waited just 55 seconds to strike again, finding paydirt off a Johnson rebound that got corralled by Crondall, England native Harris, extending the lead to three. Both squads ramped up the offensive efforts in period two, combining for 23 shots led by Harris with a quartet. Persistence paid off as the junior forward upped the score in the 18th minute, making it a 4-0 game with 22 minutes to go.

JWU's final period was hampered by six penalties, including fouls for body checking, roughing, and dueling unsportsmanlike conduct calls. But a slashing whistle spurred the Spartans' final score, Aiken's third of the night for the freshman to complete Castleton's first hat trick of the year and seal a 5-0 conference victory.

The Spartans return to Spartan Arena on Friday, January 13 for the front end of a doubleheader with Plymouth State. Puck drop is slated for 6 p.m.