Box Score

POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Colgate women's hockey team ran into the No. 6 team in the nation on Friday night, dropping a 5-2 decision to Clarkson.

"We got off to a rocky start tonight and that was the difference in the game," Colgate head coach Greg Fargo said. "Sometimes you can get away with it but we picked the wrong team to do that against. Clarkson is a very talented hockey team that took full advantage of its opportunities early on.

"The positive here is that our group had a response to our tough start and we battled right through to the end. Our game peaked in the third when we started to simplify and play tough. We're the type of group that has to play with an edge for 60 minutes a night to earn the results we want."
 
The Raiders skated hand and hand with their nationally ranked opponent as both teams scored two goals in the final two periods. The difference, however, was the three markers the Golden Knights posted in the opening period. Unfortunately, the Raiders couldn't recover from their slow start.
 
Colgate (5-18-2, 2-11-0 ECAC) received goals from Taylor Volpe and Jocelyn Simpson. Defenseman Megan Wickens assisted on both Raider goals while Nicole Gass and Taylor Craig both earned helpers in the game as well.
 
#6 Clarkson (18-4-3, 9-2-2 ECAC) saw Jamie Lee Rattray notched a hat trick and an assist in the victory to lead all players. Vanessa Gagnon and Carly Mercer also posted goals throughout the game.
 
Colgate converted on one of its seven power player chances while holding the Golden Knights to just two goals on their ten attempts. Clarkson outshot the Raiders 39-13, including a game-high 18 shots in the initial period.
 
The Golden Knights opened the game netting three goals in the first frame. Gagnon tallied Clarkson's first goal at the 2:49 mark thanks to a good feed from Brittany Styner and Erin Ambrose.
 
Colgate had a chance to equalize a minute later when the Golden Knights were called for hooking. Despite a solid look from Simpson, the Raiders were unable to pull even.
 
The Raiders were again on the power play after Clarkson was called for tripping but it would be the Golden Knights' who recorded a goal. Off the faceoff, Rattray found the back of the net to increase their advantage to 2-0.
 
With 10 and half minutes remaining in the period, the No. 6 team in the nation made it a 3-0 game following Carly Mercer's ninth marker of the year.
 
Early in the middle frame Clarkson would again give the Raiders a man-up opportunity after another hooking call. Just 33 seconds into the power play, Volpe continued her three-game point streak, grabbing Colgate's first goal. She has now posted eight points in the last eight games.
 
Clarkson pushed its lead back to a three-goal margin when Rattray found the back of the net for the second time.
 
Simpson would pull the Raiders to within two, at 4-2 after she registered her five goal of the year 3:13 into the final period but the Raiders nationally ranked opponent scored one last goal before time expired to earn themselves a 5-2 victory.
 
The Raiders are back on the ice Saturday when they travel to St. Lawrence to take on the Saints at 3 p.m.