HAMILTON, N.Y. (2/5/10) -   The Colgate women's ice hockey team downed fellow ECAC opponent Princeton, 4-3, on Friday evening at Starr Rink. The squad improves to 9-16-4 overall and 5-8-4 in league play while the Tigers drop to 10-10-4 overall and 8-5-4 in the ECAC.

 

The senior class seemed to lead the Raiders on the offense with three of their four goals coming off the stick of a senior. Katie Stewart (Exeter, Ont.) led Colgate in scoring with one goal and two assists while Evan Minnick (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) added one goal and one assist. Classmate Marissa Dombovy (Webster, N.Y.) finished the evening with two assists.

 

The Raiders took advantage of several early penalties called on Princeton in the first period, scoring on their third power-play attempt. Freshman Jenna Klynstra (Edmonton, Alta.) picked up her third career and second power-play goal at 9:10 in the opening stanza to give Colgate a 1-0 lead. Seniors Stewart and Minnickeach had an assist on the goal.

 

The Tigers responded with a goal of their own just a few minutes later to tie the game at 1-1. Princeton's Stephanie Denino received the puck just inside the right face-off circle and sent a hard shot into the upper left side of the Colgate net.

 

With just under two minutes remaining in the first period, senior Ali Edell (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) blocked a shot from Princeton's Sasha Sherry to set up the Raiders second goal of the game. After making the block, Edell gathered the puck behind the Colgate net, passing it to Stewart who was waiting at the blue line. Colgate's leading scorer took the puck down the ice on the breakaway and sent it past Princeton's goaltender Cassie Seguin to put the Raiders up 2-1 heading into the first break.

 

Both teams put in a goal in each of the next two periods but Colgate never lost the lead. The Raiders again were the first to score in the second period as rookie Brittany Phillips (Lauder, Man.) found the stick of senior Beth Rotenberg (Toronto, Ont.) just as she was cutting in front of the crease. Rotenberg reacted quickly, sneaking the puck in past the Princeton goaltender and giving Colgate a 3-1 advantage. Melanie Wallace would cut the Tigers' deficit to one, 3-2, a short while later scoring Princeton's only power-play goal of the night before heading into the second period break.

 

With just six minutes left in the third period, Colgate picked up an insurance goal which turned into the game-winner for the Raiders. Stewart took a hard shot from the blue line which Seguin was able to stop but not gain control of amidst a bevy of Colgate players. After a flurry in front of the net, Minnick was able to come out with the goal and the Raiders third power-play point of the night.

 

The Tigers' scrambled to come back from a two-point deficit, 4-2, pulling Seguin during the final two minutes of play for the extra-man advantage. With just 13 seconds left in the game Danielle DiCesare lit the lamp for Princeton, but it wasn't enough as Colgate was able to outlast the Tigers for the 4-3 victory.

 

Junior goaltender Lisa Plenderleith (Ajax, Ont.) had 28 saves for the Colgate win, while Seguin made 23 stops for Princeton. The Raiders went 3-7 on power-play opportunities while the Tigers only converted on one of their two chances.

 

The Raiders will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they host Quinnipiac at 4 p.m. in Starr Rink.