HAMILTON — Dani Palmer scored to tie the game up in the third quarter, but American came away with a 2-1 victory in both team's Patriot League opener Saturday afternoon.
Claire van Kempen had another impressive performance in goal for the Raiders, topping her career-high in saves with ten after breaking it the previous game. She made five stops in the third quarter, to keep the game knotted up.
Palmer's goal came with 6:39 remaining in the third.
Ella Murphy threaded a pass toward the goal that the sophomore finished off from right in front of the cage to make it 1-1.
The Eagles took the first lead of the game with 11:32 left in the first when Emilia Winkler found the back of the cage. AU pulled back ahead with just under 10 minutes to go in the game when Alyssa Freeman buried a shot off a pass from Tayla-Jade Weiss, giving her team a 2-1 advantage.
In the first, the Raiders earned their first penalty corner of the game with just over a minute left, from which Murphy ripped a shot that landed wide of the goal.
Colgate generated more good looks in the second after
Hannah Marcotrigiano fired a shot on target that got saved. Murphy got another shot following a penalty corner that got blocked.
The Raiders had one final penalty corner chance in the fourth but could not convert.
Colgate's defense and van Kempen shut down the Eagles on 11 penalty corner chances in the game.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach April Cornell-DeAngelis
"We had a great connections and effort today. I'm proud of the team and we have a lot to build off of as we head into our bye week against Dartmouth. Claire and our defense had a strong game. I loved our composure in the midfield. We will work to give up fewer defensive penalty corners moving forward and draw more attack corners, to put us on top."
UP NEXT
The Raiders are back home for senior day next Sunday, taking on Dartmouth at 12 p.m.
