BURLINGTON, Vt. – Rookie Lauren Wildfang found the back of the net on Saturday afternoon for the first time in her career but it wasn't enough to spark a Colgate victory.
 
The Raiders ultimately fell to Vermont in the contest, 2-1.
 
Colgate found itself down two goals after nearly 40 minutes of action but a late tally from Wildfang to close out the middle frame gave the Raiders life heading into the final period.
 
Even with a 9-6 edge on shots in the third frame, Colgate was unable to slide one past Vermont's netminder to knot the score.
 
Taylor Craig and Katie Case assisted on the Raiders' lone goal for their third and seventh helper of the year, respectively.
 
The Raiders have a quick turnaround as they host nearby rival Syracuse on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Starr Rink.
 
Bottom Line
• Vermont 2, Colgate 1

Won-Lost Records
• Vermont shifts to 10-10-1 on the season
• Colgate falls to 3-15-0 overall
 
Facts & Figures
• The Raiders outshot their hosts overall 26-21 after both teams recording 10 shots each in the opening period of play.
• Both teams converted on the power play with Colgate going 1-for-4 and Vermont 1-for-1.
• Wildfang registered her first collegiate marker with 10 seconds left to play in the middle frame when she converted on a power play.
• Craig and Case were awarded assists on Wildfang's goal.  
• Breanne Wilson-Bennett led the Raiders in shots with five, while three other Colgate players tallied three each in Miriam Drubel, Annika Zalewski, and Megan Sullivan.
• Junior Ashlynne Rando made 19 stops throughout the game.  
 • Vermont received the game-winner on the man-up advantage a little less than eight minutes into the second period when Delia McNally found the back of the net. The other Catamounts goal came from the stick of Taylor Willard in the opening frame.
• The Catamounts' goaltender Molly Depew posted 25 saves in the win, including a game-high 10 in the first period.
 
The Difference
• Despite outshooting Vermont, the difference for Colgate proved to be two early goals from the Catamounts.
• The Raiders gave themselves hope after a late marker in the middle period and even had two power play opportunities in the third frame to pull even.
• Unfortunately, solid goaltending from Depew and a strong defensive effort from the hosts deflected away any Raider attempts in the final period.

Period Breakdown
• The Catamounts took the early lead seven minutes into the opening frame after a Willard shot got past Rando.
• Then after Colgate was called for holding, Vermont increased its edge to 2-0 following a power play goal with five seconds remaining on the man-up situation.
• Colgate would not go away, however, pulling to within one on Wildfang's power play goal. Craig started the play by collecting the puck from behind the net. From there she slotted the puck to center ice for Wildfang to finish off past Depew with five seconds left in the period.
• The Raiders outshot the Catamounts in the final frame, 9-6, but were unable to find the needed goal to tie the game.
 
Straight From The Source
• Head coach Greg Fargo (on his overall thoughts from the game): "Tonight's game was fast paced in the early going. We generated some quality chances early on and didn't get the offensive break we needed when it was an up and down game. As the game went on it became tighter and there weren't many scoring chances exchanged."
 
"When that happens we've got to find ways to get more pucks deep into their zone down low and go to work."
 
"The whole weekend was back and forth between the two teams. Vermont did a good job of holding us off late when we had some good momentum in the third."
 
"We've got to learn from this series, take steps forward and get ready to play a gritty Syracuse team on Tuesday at home."

Up Next
• The Raiders now shift their attention to nearby rival Syracuse for a mid-week contest on Tuesday. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. puck drop in Starr Rink.
• The Orange won the first meeting between these two programs earlier in the season 2-1.
• Following Tuesday's game, Colgate welcomes ECAC Hockey foes Clarkson and St. Lawrence beginning Friday night at 7 p.m.