SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Jenna Panepinto finished off a penalty kick in the 81st minute but it wasn't enough to spark a Colgate women's soccer victory here Sunday afternoon.
 
The Raiders and Orange battled in their yearly showdown but it was the hosts who finished on top by a score of 2-1.
 
After SU opened up a two-goal advantage in the 73rd minute, Colgate responded by converting on a penalty kick after Caroline Parsons was taken down in the 18-yard box. Panepinto then blasted the shot into the right-hand corner of the net, cutting the lead in half and giving the Raiders some life with a little less than 10 minutes to play.
 
After getting some momentum back from the goal, Colgate turned up its offensive pressure and had some quality chances in the final minutes but ultimately weren't able to find the needed score.
 
For the opening 45 minutes, Colgate held the majority of quality scoring chances after Jenna Raepple and Sidney Parodie both tried their luck on goal.
 
Raepple fired off an early strike just four minutes in after receiving a great longball from Emily Pullen. Unfortunately, her attempted sailed just high over the net. Then at the 16:44 mark Parodie found herself on a small breakaway inside the 18-yard box. As she was gearing up to fire off a shot, an Orange defender came sliding in at the last second to block her shot away, stopping a potential goal-scoring opportunity.
 
Neither team was able to tally the go-ahead goal before the break and the teams went into halftime scoreless.
 
Early in the second half Colgate goalie Erin Cummings made a brilliant kick save on a close-range shot from Syracuse to keep the game all square.
 
In the 53rd minute, however, the Orange broke through on a driven shot from the top of the box. 20 minutes later they added another marker to create a two-goal deficit between the teams.
 
With a little more than 15 minutes remaining in the game, Colgate started pressuring SU's backline in hopes of starting a rally. The Raiders attack paid off as they were awarded a penalty kick in the 81st minute after Parsons was taken down in the box. Panepinto finished it off for Colgate, cutting the Orange lead to 2-1.
 
Despite some solid chances for the Raiders in the final minutes, Colgate wasn't able to register the tying goal, eventually falling to its ACC foe.

The Raiders next contest is Saturday when they host American for their first Patriot League game of the season. This match will be a part of Colgate's homecoming weekend and kicks off at 4:30 p.m. on Beyer-Small '76 Field.
 
BOTTOM LINE
• Syracuse 2, Colgate 1

WON-LOST RECORDS
• Syracuse improves to 3-4-1 on the year
• Colgate shifts to 2-5-0

KEY RAIDER INFO
• Panepinto recorded her first goal of the season on a penalty kick.
• Five different Raiders tallied one shot each in the contest.
• Cummings pushed aside five shots throughout the game.

FACTS & FIGURES
• The Orange posted 14 shots to Colgate's five.
• SU also held the edge on corner kicks at 6-4.
• The Raiders made five saves throughout the match, while the Orange registered two.
 
From The Source
• Colgate Head Coach Kathy Brawn: (on the game) "There were some really bright moments in the game but we can't just have bright moments, we have to put together a whole game. I give our team so much credit for pulling together in a difficult situation toward the end of the game, and when we play with that kind of heart and energy we are a whole different team. Now that our players recognize that so well I think that bodes well for us moving forward.
 
(on how preparations change now that the team heads into Patriot League play come Saturday) "Actually it doesn't change. We walk off the field every single time whether it's a practice or a game and we know a little bit more about ourselves than we did before. We are always looking to build on the really good things and eliminate the things that are a little bit weaker."
 
"Of course what does change is that it's a group of teams that know each other so well and everybody is working really hard to try and get into the Patriot League Tournament, to get into the NCAA tournament, and beyond. There is something different about it regardless of who you're playing and so there is that feeling that's different but the preparation stays pretty much the same."

UP NEXT
• The Raiders will next host American on Saturday as part of Colgate's homecoming weekend.
• Gametime is slated for 4:30 p.m. on Beyer-Small '76 Field.
• Live stats and video will be available for the game.