Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. (1/11/09) – Junior Beth Rotenberg (Toronto, Ont.) scored two goals including the eventual game-winner to give the Colgate University women's hockey team a weekend sweep over rival Cornell 4-3 on Sunday at Starr Rink. The win moved the Raiders into a sixth-place tie with Clarkson.

Colgate (10-9-2, 4-4-2) scored three goals in the closing period and sophomore goaltender Lisa Plenderleith (Ajax, Ont.) made 26 saves to secure the season sweep of rival Cornell.

 

Cornell (7-8-2, 3-5-2) opened the scoring 7:15 into the game with a power-play goal from Karlee Overgaurd. The Big Red would extend their lead five minutes later when Chelsea Karpenko found the back of the net past Plenderleith. Rotenberg scored her first goal at the 13:16 mark in the first period to trim Cornell's lead 2-1. Freshman Amanda Kirwan (Mississauga, Ont.) gained possession of the puck deep in the Raiders zone and was able to catch Rotenberg in stride at center ice. Rotenberg was then able to skate around the only defender before beating goalie Jenny Niesluchowski. Colgate out-shot the Big Red 17-12 in the opening period.  

 

The teams were held scoreless in the second period as both goaltenders made key save after key save. Plenderleith faced 12 shots in the period as Niesluchowski faced 14.

 

After a scoreless second period the Raiders came out on fire in the third as junior Evan Minnick (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) tied the score 2-2 at the 4:02 mark, a minute later senior Sam Hunt (Calgary, Alta.) would give Colgate a lead they would never surrender.

 

Minnick's goal came during a delayed penalty call to Cornell, which allowed the Raiders to pull Plenderleith for an extra attacker. The extra attacker paid off as junior Ali Edell (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) found Minnick in front of the net for her ninth goal of the season. Hunt's goal a minute later occurred off a nice tick-tack-goal play started by senior Clancy Todd (Thorold, Ont.) who was positioned in the face-off circle to Niesluchowski's right. Todd passed to junior Katie Stewart (Exeter, Ont.) in the corner who immediately found Hunt alone in front of the net for a 3-2 lead.

 

Colgate extended its lead to 4-2 at the mid-way mark in the third when Rotenberg recorded her second of the game and sixth of the season. Sophomore Jessi Waters (Menlo Park, Calif.) assisted on the goal. Cornell would trim the lead to 4-3 at the 14:19 mark after a five-minute review awarded Karpenko her second goal of the game. Cornell pulled its goalie in the closing minute, but it wasn't enough as Plenderleith made a save in the closing seconds to seal the sweep.

 

The Raiders out-shot Cornell 40-29. Colgate went 0-2 on the power-play and the Big Red 1-5. Plenderleith made 26 saves for the Raiders, while Niesluchowski made 36 for Cornell.

 

Colgate returns to action on Friday, January 16 against Rensselaer at Starr Rink. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

 

The Colgate Ticket Office is holding a January Elementary Ticket Promotion for any student in preK through 8th grade is invited to attend home games free. They can bring two family members or friends with them. All seating is general admission.