PRINCETON, N.J. (2/23/07) – Senior Ashley Bradford (Burnaby, B.C.) scored at 7:59 in overtime to give the No. 5-seeded Colgate University women’s hockey team a 1-0 win over No. 4 seed Princeton on Friday, February 23 at Baker Rink in game one of the ECACHL Quarterfinals.

 

Senior Tara French (Truro, N.S.) found sophomore Sam Hunt (Calgary, Alta.) who rifled a shot that was stopped by Kristen Young but not collected.  The puck went under Young’s legs to the left side of the net where Bradford got a handle on the puck and banked it in over the goal line.

 

Colgate takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three ECACHL Quarterfinals series, with its first win over Princeton in the all-time series.  The Raiders are now 16-14-2 overall, while the Tigers fall to 16-11-3.

 

Tonight’s game marked Colgate’s first extra session game in the post season since 2000-2001, the Raiders’ final Division III season.  Colgate won that game 2-1 over Vermont.

 

Princeton and Colgate played three scoreless periods of hockey before heading into the 20-minute sudden death overtime session.

 

Colgate had a few chances in the first period to put it away but came up short.  Freshman Evan Minnick (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) picked up a turnover just inside the offensive zone, and carried it in on Young but she stopped the shot in the gut.  Teammate Katie Stewart (Exeter, Ont.) had another great chance with just over five minutes left when she skated in, past her defender and tried to sneak the puck in on the right post side, but the puck hit the post and went wide of the net.

 

Senior Brook Wheeler (Brussels, Ont.) was the difference on the other end coming up with some major saves.  She stopped 15 shots in the first, while Colgate put just three on net at the other end.

 

The second period was much more balanced with both teams having opportunities to light the  lamp.

 

The fans were on their feet around the 13-minute mark when Colgate had a couple chances right out in front.  Young was face down on the ice while the puck bounced around but the Raiders piled up out front couldn’t sneak the puck in.

 

Colgate ended the second session on the power play, but couldn’t get lucky to end the second scoreless.  Wheeler came up big again in the middle period, making 15 saves to Young’s nine.

 

The Raiders came out firing on all cylinders in the third period, dominating the Tigers both offensively and defensively.  Colgate had a 13-8 edge in shots but the third ended scoreless to force a 20-minute sudden death overtime period.

 

Although Princeton kept the puck down in its offensive end for the first five minutes the best chance came from Colgate.  Freshman Marissa Dombovy (Webster, N.Y.) came across the paint from the right side and tried to sweep it in, but the puck it the post and skirted back out to the right side.

 

Wheeler finished the night with 42 total saves, while Young stopped 28.

 

The two teams will play game two of the best-of-three series on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m.