HAMILTON, N.Y. (02/20/10) -   The Colgate women's hockey team earned the eighth seed in the ECAC and claimed a play-off spot after sweeping Union and Rensselaer in weekend play. Senior Katie Stewart (Exeter, Ont.) scored twice and classmate Marissa Dombovy (Webster, N.Y.) put in the game-winner to propel the Raiders to a 3-2 victory against the Engineers this afternoon at Starr Rink.

 

Colgate needed just to tie the Engineers after both Dartmouth and Yale lost their games today, but a tie would not satisfy the Raiders here on Senior Day. With two goals on the day Stewart claims the record for most goals scored in a single season (24) and is tied for most points in a season (39). She also moves into sixth place on the all-time career scoring list with 99 points and third on all-time career goals (56).

 

The Raiders got off to an early lead after going on the power-play just over three minutes into the game. Stewart was the first to score picking up the rebound on senior Evan Minnick's (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) initial shot and putting it in past Rensselaer's goaltender, Sonja van der Bliek, just 16 seconds into the power-play opportunity. Minnick and Hannah Milan (Great Barrington, Mass.) both earned assists on the goal.

 

The Engineers responded with an even strength goal of their own about nine minutes later as Taylor Horton lit the lamp for the seventh time this year. Alisa Harrison and Andie Le Donne each had an assist on the goal. The score would remained tied 1-1 heading into the first break.

 

Stewart opened the second period with another quick goal, bringing the lead back to the Raiders, 2-1. Dombovy set-up the goal sending the puck up the ice to Stewart on a breakaway, Colgate's leading scorer looked to take a forehand shot, but instead went with a backhanded shot, beating out van der Bliek once again.  

 

The Engineers tied the game again in the opening minutes of the third period, as Harrison scored from inside the crease after some sharp passing on the 5-on-3 power-play. Horton and Amanda Castignetti picked up assists on the goal which came at 4:32 in the final stanza.

 

Senior captains Dombovy and Beth Rotenberg (Toronto, Ont.) would connect for what would be the game-winning goal with 12:19 left in the third period. Rotenberg took the puck around the cage passing it to Dombovy instead of taking the shot. Dombovy took her shot from inside the right face-off circle, sending it in over the goaltenders left shoulder to make it a 3-2 game.

 

Colgate's defense had a strong showing in the final minutes of the third period, making several big stops to keep the Engineers from tying the game. Rensselaer's best chance to score came after Colgate goaltender Lisa Plenderleith (Ajax, Ont.) made a save but was unable to recover in time and found herself out of position and facing a direct shot by Castignetti. Junior Jacquie Colborne (Calgary, Alta.) stepped up, blocking the shot in the crease.  Milan and senior Ali Edell (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) also made several key blocks at the end of the game.

 

Plenderleith finished the game with 21 saves while Rensselaer's van der Bliek made 32 stops. Colgate went 2-10 on power-play opportunities with the Engineers finished 1-4.

 

Colgate will now have to travel to regional rival Cornell which earned the top-seed in the ECAC earlier today. The Raiders will face the Big Red in a best of three series next weekend, with the first game starting at 3:30 on Friday, Feb. 26.