HAMILTON – Colgate scored the game's first six goals – all by freshmen – and never relinquished the lead in a wire-to-wire 12-8 victory over previously unbeaten Niagara Sunday afternoon at Andy Kerr Stadium.
Colgate started fast and furious with four goals in a four-minute span. Caroline Panzirer opened the scoring at the 11:49 mark, and by the 7:49 mark, it was 4-0 Raiders after a flurry of goals from first-years Sarah Marcovici, Molly Krestinski, and Panzirer again.
Panzirer had her first collegiate hat trick 10 minutes into the game. She scored the last three goals in the opening surge for the Raiders, who led 6-2 at the end of the first quarter after Niagara tallied the final two goals of the frame.
Sarah Harding found the back of the net early in the second quarter before Panzirer's fifth goal of the contest gave Colgate an 8-5 advantage at halftime. Kyra Lucey assisted on four of Colgate's eight first half goals.
After heavy scoring in the first half, the two teams combined for seven total goals in the final two stanzas. Devon Maillet highlighted the Raiders' offense with three of their four second-half goals, including two in the final stanza to put the game away.
Niagara closed the gap to 10-8 with back-to-back fourth-quarter goals from Andra Savage and Rachel Crane before Kait Henning and Maillet iced the game with the final two goals of the game. Maillet capped the scoring with 3:11 to go and Colgate secured the 12-8 triumph.
Six different Raiders found the net in the win, led by Panzirer's five and Maillet's three. Lucey finished with four assists, while Helena Morrison recorded a season-high eight saves to pick up her first win in a Raider uniform.
NOTES
- Colgate's 6-0 run was its longest since March 2, 2022, when the Raiders scored eight unanswered against Siena.
- Helena Morrison secures her first win in a Raider uniform.
- Colgate improved to 3-0 all-time against Niagara.
- The Raiders held Niagara, who averaged 14 goals per game, to a season-low eight goals in Sunday's win.
- The Purple Eagles came in 3-0 with their most recent win against Oregon on Feb. 18
- Colgate's 12 goals were a season high.
UP NEXT
Colgate is on the road for its final three non-conference tune-ups, first starting with a 1 p.m. opening draw at UAlbany next Saturday.
