BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Colgate women's ice hockey team saw Vermont score two unanswered goals to steal a 3-2 victory on Friday night.
 
The Raiders had the lead twice but were unable to stop the Catamounts' attack in the final frame.
 
Colgate took the early 1-0 lead after Megan Sullivan fired a wrist shot from in between the two faceoff circles during the opening period. Taylor Craig started the play by clearing the puck out of the Raider zone to the stick of Sullivan. The rookie then finished the play by placing it past Vermont's netminder.
 
The Catamounts wasted little time trailing though as they knotted the scored two minutes later after Brittany Zuback found the back of the net for her team-leading 13th goal of the year.
 
The Raiders went back ahead with less than three minutes to play in the middle frame when Breanne Wilson-Bennett converted on a rebound. Hannah Rastrick saw an opening and tried her luck on net. The puck sailed toward goal where junior captain Katelyn Parker batted it down with her stick to fellow teammate Wilson-Bennet. The first-year then slid it past the goal line to give the Raiders a 2-1 edge heading into the final intermission.
 
Despite even shots in the last period and some solid goaltending and defending from Colgate, the Catamounts were able to tally two unanswered goals in the third period to steal the come from behind win.
 
Ashlynne Rando made some impressive stops for Colgate in the game finishing the night with 20 saves, including 11 in the middle frame.
 
The Raiders will have a chance at a rematch Saturday at 4 p.m. when these two teams play the final contest of this two-game set.
 
Bottom Line
• Vermont 3, Colgate 2

Won-Lost Records
• Vermont shifts to 9-10-1 on the season
• Colgate dips to 3-14-0 overall
 
Facts & Figures
• The Catamounts outshot the Raiders 23-17, including a 11-3 edge during the middle period. However, in that frame Colgate did not concede any goals despite being outshot.
• It was a clean game overall with neither team being awarded a power play opportunity.  
• Two rookies notched goals in the game for the Raiders with Sullivan leading the way with her team-high seventh goal of the season.
• Wilson-Bennett also added to her career points total with a marker in the game, shifting her to second on the team with four goals on the year.
• Craig, Parker and Rastrick each helped on at least one of Colgate's goals.
• Junior Rando made 20 stops, including a game-high 11 in the middle frame.
• Vermont saw Zuback net two equalizing goals in the game before Delia McNally converted on the game-winner.
• The Catamounts' goalie Madison Litchfield made 15 saves throughout the game.
 
The Difference
• With the Raiders leading 2-1 heading into the final period, Colgate tried to find an insurance goal after shots by Shelby Perry, Meghan Brennan and Nicole Gass. Unfortunately, the Catamounts were able to deflect any Raider attempts away from net.
• Vermont then notched the tying goal with eight minutes remaining in the game.
• Before the Raiders could respond, the Catamounts added the eventual game-winner less than two minutes later and Colgate was unable to recover.

Period Breakdown
• The first period saw both teams net markers and the Raiders hold the shot advantage at 7-5. Colgate finally broke through early after Sullivan ripped a shot from in between the two faceoff circles six minutes in. The Catamounts would not go away, however, as they knotted the score two minutes later.
• Vermont turned the pressure up in the second period firing off 11 shots, including consecutive attempts four minutes into the frame but Rando came up huge to keep the game tied.
• Colgate took back its advantage when Wilson-Bennett found the back of the net converting on a rebounded shot. Rastrick saw an opening and tried her luck on net. The shot was initially slapped down by Parker which allowed Wilson-Bennett enough time to finish it off for the go-ahead marker.
• After taking the one-goal lead into the final period, the Raiders saw the Catamounts post two unanswered goals to steal the victory away from Colgate.

Up Next
• These two teams are back in action Saturday for the final game of this two-game non-conference set. That game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. puck drop.
• Following Saturday's contest, the Raiders host nearby rival Syracuse on Tuesday. The Orange won the first meeting between these two programs earlier in the season 2-1.