SCHENECTADY, N.Y.  – For the first time in program history, the Colgate Raiders are regular season conference champions.
 
The Raiders powered past Union 6-1 at Messa Rink Saturday afternoon to secure the title. They earned a share of it with Clarkson, as both finished with 38 points.
 
Jessie Eldridge scored the first Raiders goal 10:37 into the opening period. The Barrie, Ontario, native absorbed a Union defender and snuck the puck past Kate Spooner in net. Eldridge finished with three points on two goals and an assist.
 
The Raiders extended the lead to 4-0 after consecutive goals from Shelby Perry, Eldridge and Breanne Wilson-Bennett.
 
Just over four minutes into the third period, Union scored its lone goal of the afternoon off the stick of Haley Shugart.
 
It took Colgate just 35 seconds to respond. Bailey Larson tossed a shot toward the goal that deflected into the back of the net. Larson, who also had an assist in the game, has collected four points in the last three games.
 
Olivia Zafuto added an empty-netter with exactly 1 minute remaining, extending her point streak to nine games.
 
Julia Vandyk, who made the start in net, recorded 21 saves on 22 shots faced. She finished the regular season with a .934 save percentage and a goals allowed average of 1.58.
 
BOTTOM LINE
Colgate 6, Union 1
 
WIN-LOSS RECORD
The Raiders improve to 29-4-1 and 19-3-0 in ECAC Hockey play. Union falls to 7-22-5 overall and 5-14-2 in conference play.
 
KEY RAIDER INFO
-The Raiders are ECAC Hockey regular season champions for the first time in program history.
-Colgate is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming ECAC Hockey playoffs, as Clarkson wins the tiebreaker based on wins over top-four teams.
-The Raiders completed their 12th weekend sweep of the season with wins over Rensselaer and Union.
 
FACTS AND FIGURES
-Eldridge's three points puts her at 99 for her career. She is tied with Katie Stewart '10 for seventh in program history.
-This marks her 30th multi-point game.
-Shelby Wood tallied two assists for a career high.
-Annika Zalewski notched her 15th assist of the season.
-Lauren Wildfang tallied her 20th assist.
-Wilson Bennett, who had both a goal and an assist, notched her eighth multipoint game this season. She has 29 points (13g, 16a)
-Megan Sullivan had two assists, increasing her career point total to 90.
-This marks her second multiassist game this season and sixth multipoint performance.
-Zafuto's 13 points since Jan. 20 are the most by any defender in the nation during that span.
 
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Greg Fargo
"It's a lot small steps forward over the course of the last six years. You don't get here overnight. It's all the steps that took place before I got here, all the Colgate women's ice hockey alums that poured their heart into it, the past coaches and everything that took place before I got here. It was somewhat poetic that it was here at Union tonight with someone like Josh Sciba, who helped push the needle so far forward for the program over the course of those first four years. Our program has been surrounded by great people pushing this thing ahead day by day. That's what it's been – a big vision and small steps and small victories along the way. I'm just really fortunate to be around these people and to share this with them today.
 
"It's way more than just the wins, the trophy and everything that comes with it. It's the fact that this group genuinely loves playing together. When you're around it, you can feel it. They love each other, we have a blast and no one wants it to end. That's what it is driving this group right now."
 
"Over the last weeks we've been playing really good hockey. Tonight it was indicative. This team wanted to go out and earn these two points. They knew what was on the line and our play really dictated that. Everything was really tight. Everything we talked about improving on we made steps forward with. We were just really rock solid in all areas of the game and we capitalized on some good chances that we had."
 
UP NEXT
The Raiders host Harvard in the opening round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs next weekend. The quarterfinal series is best-of-three -- start times are Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 3 and Sunday at 3 -- and the winner moves onto the semifinal round.