HAMILTON, N.Y. (11/29/2008) – Freshman goaltender Kimberly Sass (East Amherst, N.Y.) recorded 32 saves in the third period to secure a 5-4 upset over No. 5/6 New Hampshire Saturday afternoon at Starr Rink. This was Colgate’s first-ever victory over the Wildcats ending a four-game drought.

 

Colgate, (8-7-1, 2-3-1) struck first just 2:23 into the second period as senior Elin Brown (Calgary, Alta.) recorded her sixth goal of the season beating New Hampshire goaltender Kayley Herman. Senior Clancy Todd (Thorold, Ont.) took the initial shot as Brown crashed the net. Freshman Amanda Kirwan (Mississauga, Ont.) also assisted on the goal.  

 

New Hampshire (8-4-3, 4-1-2) was able to respond nine minutes later capitalizing on a Raider penalty as Kelly Paton snuck one past Sass, to knot the score 1-1.

 

The two teams would then go on a scoring frenzy over the next three minutes as the Raiders took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission. Junior Evan Minnick (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) recorded her first goal of the game at the 14:45 mark after receiving a pass from Kirwan who won the puck off the boards. The Wildcats answered right back as Courtney Birchard scored 11 seconds later off the initial face-off to tie the score 2-2.

 

The Raiders would record the next two goals off two New Hampshire penalties. The Wildcats Maggie Joyce was called for tripping at the 16:32 mark and was followed by Jenn Wakefield 27 seconds later for checking. Colgate the third best power-play team in the nation capitalized twice over the two-man advantage.

 

Junior Marissa Dombovy (Webster, N.Y.) struck first for the Raiders at 17:49 sliding the puck past Herman’s left pad. Todd and junior Beth Rotenberg (Toronto, Ont.) both were credited with assists. Minnick then recorded her second of the period and team-high eighth of the season at 18:01. Dombovy and Rotenberg assisted on the goal as the same line was on the ice for both.         

 

Colgate out-shot the Wildcats 14-9 in the second and 23-13 through the first two periods.

 

Sass, faced four power-plays and 34 shots from a much more aggressive New Hampshire team in the third period, but was up for the challenge.

 

Wakefield would find the back of the net during the Wildcats third power-play of the period at 9:24 to bring New Hampshire within one goal 4-3. Sophomore Jessi Waters (Menlo Park, Calif.) would regain Colgate’s two goal lead five minutes later as she redeflected senior Sam Hunt’s (Calgary, Alta.) shot over the left shoulder of Herman. Junior Ali Edell (Morristown, N.J.) was also credited with an assist.

 

Senior Kiira Dosdall (Fairfield, Conn.) was called for interference with 2:25 remaining and the Wildcats pulled Herman four a two-man advantage. Paton recorded her second of the game a minute later to close the gap 5-4. New Hampshire again pulled Herman for an extra attacker over the remaining minute but is wasn’t enough as Sass made key save after key save to secure her sixth win of the season.

 

Colgate was 2-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-6 on the penalty kill. Sass recorded 43 saves to improve to 6-1-1 on the season, while Herman recoded 20 for the Wildcats.

 

Colgate will hit the road next week as it travels to No. 5/6 St. Lawrence Friday December 5th. The game is slated for a 7 p.m. start.