PROVIDENCE, R.I. – No. 10 Colgate Women’s Hockey matched its program wins record after completing a weekend sweep with a 3-2 victory over Brown here Saturday afternoon.
In Colgate’s Division I history, only one team had recorded 19 wins — the 2008-09 squad. Not anymore. Greg Fargo has watched his unit climb to new heights under his tenure and Saturday’s victory marked Colgate’s 19th of the season, matching the 2008-09 season for most in program history.
The 2008-09 squad finished 19-14-3 for a .569 winning percentage, also the program’s Division I top mark. Colgate is up to 19-6-7 overall this year for a .703 win rate with two games remaining in the regular season.
Colgate has already clinched a berth into the ECAC Hockey Tournament, which starts Feb. 26. The Raiders’ seeding, however, is still up for grabs. Colgate decides its own destiny needing just three points or a victory over Harvard to clinch home ice in the conference quarterfinals. Harvard, which is right on Colgate’s tail, needs four points to clinch home ice and ironically these two teams battle it out in Starr Rink on Friday to begin the last weekend of the regular season. That game most likely decides the top four teams in the tournament.
In Saturday’s game against Brown, Colgate jumped out in front just five minutes into the contest when Shannon Ormel netted her first career marker. Chelsea Jacques and Olivia Zafuto made the rookie’s goal possible with assists on the tally.
Lauren Wildfang made it 2-0 Colgate just 1:58 into the middle frame. Helping Wildfang on the goal was first-year Jessie Eldridge.
Ten minutes later the hosts cut the score to 2-1 but the Raiders increased their edge back to two goals following the eventual game-winner from Shelby Perry. The sophomore finished off a lose puck on a 4×4 opportunity after both teams were called for penalties.
Despite notching a goal, the Raiders remained in the box allowing the Bears a power play opportunity. The hosts converted just 34 seconds later to again make it a one-goal game with less than four minutes to play in the period.
Colgate was called for two penalties in the final frame but the Raiders were able to fend off any last-ditch efforts from Brown, including an empty net, to secure the win.
The Raiders host Harvard and Dartmouth in their final two regular season games of the year. Colgate welcomes the Crimson on Friday at 7 p.m. before taking on the Big Green on Saturday at 4 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at the start of both games.
