Box Score
USCHO.com Photo Gallery
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Rookie Liz Trautz's second marker of the year was a big one as it lifted the Colgate women's hockey team 2-1 over RIT on Saturday night in overtime.
"Tonight was a really strong effort against a tough team from RIT," Colgate head coach Greg Fargo said. "Our team got better tonight, we played a better team game overall. Our special teams played a big part of the game, our penalty kill came up big in the third period and it was great to have our power play get back on track."
Colgate (2-4-0) saw Trautz score 2:12 into overtime on a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. Miriam Drubel also scored the first Raider goal on a power play in the middle frame. Sophomore Ashlynne Rando made a career-high 40 saves in her first victory of the year.
RIT (3-4-0) received its lone goal from Kourtney Kunichika, who tallied the equalizer in the second period. Jetta Rackleff pushed aside 27 shots in the loss.
After a scoreless opening frame that saw both teams' notch 13 shots, play was even with both squads garnering good chances on net.
The Raiders had their best opportunity of the period following a scramble in front of the night. Kayla Haus shot from the left side but Rackleff came up with the save. Katelyn Parker collected the rebound and tried her luck on goal but again Rackleff was there to make the save
Also in the opening period Rando made two great stops on shots by Marissa Maugeri to keep the game goalless.
In the second period, Rackleff again came up big for the Tigers when she made a goal saving stop on Stephanie Giannopoulos from point-blank range.
The Raiders wouldn't be denied any longer, however, as they tallied the game's first goal at the 7:37 mark. After a roughing penalty on RIT, Colgate converted on the man-up opportunity when Drubel scored her third of the season on the power play.
RIT would answer just 1:15 later following Kunichika's marker. Maugeri earned the initial shot that took a tip from the stick of Kunichika past the shoulder of Rando for the equalizer.
In the final frame the Tigers had three straight power plays but the Raiders held strong killing off the extra man opportunities and sending the game into overtime.
RIT headed into extra time on the power play after Colgate was called for hooking late in the third period. The Tigers almost notched the game-winner when Kolbee McCrea had a great chance in front of the net. She wasn't able to corral the puck as it took a bad deflection off her stick and away from goal.
The Tigers were called for back-to-back penalties handing the Raiders a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. After Megan Wickens and Nicole Gass worked the puck around the blue line, Gass saw an opening and fired a shot on net. Trautz redirected the sophomore's shot to lift the Raiders to victory.
RIT outshot the Raiders 41-29 but Colgate was able to convert on two of its eight man-up chances compared to the Tigers 0-for-7.
The Raiders are back on home ice Friday and Saturday when they welcome ECAC Hockey opponents, St. Lawrence and No. 3 Clarkson in their league-opening weekend. Colgate faces the Saints on Friday at 4 p.m. followed by a matchup with the Golden Knights on Saturday at 3 p.m.