Wilson-Bennett Tallies 1st Career Goal
Raiders Drop Rivalry Game To Syracuse, 2-1
By Kat Castner
(Syracuse, NY – Oct. 2, 2014) Rookie Breanne Wilson-Bennett scored Colgate women’s hockey’s lone goalThursday night but it wasn’t enough as the Raiders fell to nearby rival Syracuse, 2-1.
Colgate found itself in a two-goal hole seven minutes into the final frame but a tally from Wilson-Bennett, gave the Raiders life with a little more than 10 minutes to play.
The goal happened after a shot from Nicole Gass, who was positioned near the blue line. Syracuse’s goaltender, Jenn Gilligan, made the initial save but couldn’t fall on the puck fast enough as Wilson-Bennett collected it and fired a shot past her left shoulder.
Despite one more power play opportunity and pulling the goalie in the final minutes of play, the Raiders were unable to record the equalizing goal.
Junior Ashlynne Rando was solid in net posting 27 saves, including a game-high 12 in the middle frame alone.
Colgate is back on the ice Oct. 10 when it travels to Robert Morris for the two-game set with the Colonials.Friday’s game is set for a 3 p.m. puck drop.
Bottom Line
• Syracuse 2, Colgate 1,
Won-Lost Records
• Syracuse improves to 1-0-0 overall
• Colgate falls to 0-1-0 overall
Key Raider Info
• Wilson-Bennett scored her first career marker
• Gass was awarded the assist on the Raider goal, giving her 23 career helpers
• Rando made 27 stops throughout the contest, including consecutive double-digit saves in the first and second period
Facts & Figures
• The Orange held the edge on shots, at 29-21
• Neither team scored on the power play as Colgate was 0-8 and Syracuse 0-6
• Three Raider players registered a team-high three shots in the contest in Miriam Drubel, Annika Zalewski and Wilson-Bennett.
• Taylor Craig, Megan Sullivan and Gass all added two shots apiece as well.
The Difference
• Colgate saw the Orange tally the game-winner six minutes and 40 seconds into the third period.
– The play originated after Heather Schwartz fed Julie Knerr in behind the Raider defense for a breakaway opportunity. Rando almost blocked Knerr’s shot away with her left shoulder but the attempt was placed just right and found the back of the net.
• The Raiders had two chances on 5-on-3 opportunities in the first and second period but could not slide one past the Orange goaltender.
Period Breakdown
• The Orange held the edge in shots during the opening period but Colgate recorded some quality chances as well as some solid saves from Rando.
– While Colgate was on the power play it notched three scoring attempts from the stick of Craig and Zalewski. Craig started the attack with back-to-back shots but couldn’t break through. A few seconds later Zalewski tried her luck on goal but Syracuse’s Larissa Martyniuk came sliding in for the block.
– On the defensive end Rando posted consecutive saves on Syracuse’s Danielle Leslie coming from a faceoff. Both were goal-saving stops.
• In the middle frame, Drubel almost tallied the go-ahead goal with 12 minutes remaining in the period but again Gilligan was there to make a brilliant glove save. Then on the opposite side of the ice, Rando registered two power play goal-saving stops. The first one came after Jessica Sibley blasted a shot toward goal with 9:32 remaining and then the second 13 seconds later.
• The Orange took the lead with five minutes left to play in the second period and added another goal seven minutes into the final frame.
• Colgate cut Syracuse’s advantage down to one-goal, however, after Wilson-Bennett pulled the trigger from in between the two faceoff circles.
Career/Season Firsts
• Wilson-Bennett notched her first career marker in the game
• Gass posted her first assist of the season; while shifting her career assists total to 23.
Straight From The Source
• Head coach Greg Fargo (on his team’s performance in the game): “There were a lot of good things from tonight’s game as there was a week ago from our contest with Cambridge. We saw some things come to life that we’ve been working on for our penalty kill and it was really strong. We were also able to get different players some opportunities to play on the PK tonight, which was great.”
“On our power play there were a lot of bright spots there as well. We got a lot of really good looks that we just didn’t get a bounce to go in when we needed it. But overall it was able to give us some momentum at times.
(On his team cutting the Orange lead early in the final frame): “I really liked how we battled back in the third period. We went down by two goals early on but we were able to come back with a big goal from Wilson-Bennett. Her line played really well all game.”
(On some timely saves from junior Ashlynne Rando): “We had outstanding goaltending in net tonight. Rando came up with some key saves especially early in the game when we needed to be bailed out. We were a little nervous at the start but she came up huge when we needed her to and that’s always good to see.”
Up Next
• The Raiders next contest is with another CHA opponent as they take on Robert Morris for a two-game series.
• The games are set for the weekend of Oct. 10-11, with both starts times scheduled for 3 p.m.
• Live stats will be available at the start of the game.
Allison ECAC Golfer of the Month
Raiders Sophomore Finished First, Third, Fifth in Three September Tournaments
By John Painter
(Hamilton, NY – Oct. 2, 2014) Colgate’s Ryan Allison is the ECAC Division I Men’s Golfer of the Month for September.
Allison picked up the honor Thursday on the strength of three top-five individual finishes in three September tournaments. He led the Raiders with a 73.00 stroke average and his score has countedtoward the team score in all nine rounds.
The Melbourne, Florida, native won the Colgate Invitational to start the season, making a 7-foot putt on the final hole to clinch a one-stroke victory. The sophomore’s 2-under-par total broke the program’s 54-hole individual record of 1 over par set by Jesse Smith at the 2002 Patriot League Championship.
Allison also placed third at the Bucknell Men’s Fall Invitational and fifth at the Cornell Invitational to earn honorable mention for Male Golfer of the Month from the Patriot League. His worst round so far this season is 4 over par.
Colgate returns to action Sunday and Monday at the Binghamton Fall Invitational.
Raiders Outshoot Loyola But Fall
Greyhounds Net Free Kick Goal To Hand Colgate First Conference Loss
By Kat Castner
(Baltimore – Oct. 4, 2014) A free kick goal was the difference Saturday afternoon as the Colgate men’s soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to Loyola.
Loyola saw Connor Thompson net the game-winner in the 55th minute after he placed a free kick into the back of the net past the diving arm of Colgate’s goalie, Ricky Brown.
The Raiders had a couple chances to equalize throughout the remainder of the contest, but key saves from Matt Sanchez and strong defending from the Greyhounds prevented Colgate from converting.
The Raiders outshot the Greyhounds, 6-5, and had the advantage on corner kicks at 5-3. Colgate held Loyola to just one shot in the opening 45 minutes, while the Raiders posted three.
Colgate has a quick turnaround as they welcome Army on Wednesday for another Patriot League matchup. The game is set for Beyer-Small ’76 Field and will have live stats and video available at gametime.
Bottom Line
• Loyola 1, Colgate o
Won-Lost Records
• Loyola improves to 4-3-1 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play
• Colgate drops to 4-4-1 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play
Key Raider Info
• Ethan Kutler led the Raiders in shots, taking a game-high three, two of which were on frame.
• Rookie Troy Moo Penn added two shots to Colgate’s total as well.
• Ricky Brown made one save throughout the contest.
Facts & Figures
• The Raiders held the advantage on shots at 6-5, while also notching five corner kicks to the Greyhounds three.
• Loyola posted four saves in the game, while Brown made one for Colgate
• The Greyhounds were issued three yellow cards in the contest.
• Loyola’s lone goal came 54:06 into the game and was scored by Connor Thompson
The Difference
• The Greyhounds earned a free kick 20-yards out that found the back of the net.
– Colgate was called for a foul just outside its 18-yard box. Thompson then stepped up and placed it just around the wall for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning.
Colgate Chances
• The Raiders outshot the Greyhounds, 6-5, with four of those being on target.
– One of Colgate’s best chances came in the 32nd minute after Kutler sent a brilliant through-ball to the foot of Moo Penn near the center of the box. The first-year saw an opening and fired a hard-driven shot toward the top left corner of the net, but Sanchez made an incredible leaping save to keep the game scoreless.
– Another solid chance for the Raiders came in the 69th minute when Colin O’Neill sent a cross into the box looking for Kutler. Unfortunately for Colgate, a Loyola defender came sliding in at the last second to clear it out of danger before Kutler could blast it into the back of the goal.
Straight From The Source
• Head Coach Erik Ronning: (On his team’s tough loss) “Very disappointing result considering how well we played in the first half. We got away from what was making us successful and could not get anything going in the second half.”
“We must put this behind us and prepare for Army on Wednesday.”
Up Next
• The Raiders are back on the pitch Wednesday when host Army at 7 p.m.
• The Black Knights dropped their second conference game Saturday to Boston U., 2-0.
• The game is set for Beyer-Small ’76 Field.
• Live stats and video available at the start of the game.
Red-Zone Picks Rally Raiders, 20-17
Russo, Armiento Lead Second-Half Defensive Shutout; Melville Throws 2 TDs
By John Painter
(Hamilton, NY – Oct. 4, 2014) Red-zone interceptions by Vinny Russo and Mike Armiento helped Colgate rally past Holy Cross 20-17 for a crucial Patriot League win here Saturday.
The Raiders (3-2, 2-0) made it three wins in three tries on their current four-game homestand, thanks to a defensive effort that blanked the Crusaders in the second half.
Possessions were at a premium, with Colgate having the ball just seven times and Holy Cross six. But after the Crusaders posted a field goal and two touchdowns in the opening half to lead 17-13 at intermission, they were halted on downs and via two Colgate interceptions in the second half.
Raiders quarterback Jake Melville threw his first two touchdowns of the season, finding C.J. Stempeck from 3 yards midway in the second and Alex Greenawalt from 14 yards just before halftime. He then bootlegged across from a yard out for the winning margin early in the fourth quarter.
Armiento’s pick was the 13th of his career, lifting him into a tie for third on the Colgate all-time chart. This was also the second-straight year Armiento picked off Holy Cross quarterback Peter Pujals to thwart a serious Crusaders scoring drive and spark a late victory.
The Raiders then ran out the final 7:35 on the clock for the win.
Bottom Line
- Colgate 20, Holy Cross 17
Won-Lost Records
- Colgate improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Patriot League.
- Holy Cross dropped to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in conference.
Facts & Figures
- Jake Melville threw his first two touchdown passes of the season, and also his second interception. The TD passes went 3 yards to C.J. Stempeck and 14 yards to Alex Greenawalt. The interception was in the end zone, thwarting a red-zone chance, but Holy Cross couldn’t take advantage.
- Demetrius Russell led all rushers with 94 yards on 16 attempts. Melville gained 75 yards on 22 tries and also completed 15-of-22 pass attempts for 159 yards.
- The Raiders as a team rushed for 224 yards to just miss their season average of 227.8 coming in.
- Kris Kent was the Colgate tackle leader for the third straight game, finishing with nine total stops. He’s tied with Chris Morgan for the team tackle lead with 39. Morgan posted eight tackles, all solo.
- Russo added seven tackles, followed by Armiento and Kyle Diener with six apiece.
- Three Colgate receivers caught three passes apiece: Kevin O’Connell finished with 32 yards, while John Quazza and Brian Lalli both posted 28 yards.
More Key Info
- Holy Cross did not punt in the game and still didn’t win. The Crusaders had three possessions in eachhalf. In the first half, they went FG-TD-TD; in the second half, it was downs-INT-INT.
- Matt Bhaya of Holy Cross led all tacklers with 12, just one ahead of teammate John Zakrzewski.
- Time of possession in the game favored Colgate by a 34:13 to 25:47 margin. It was crucial in the fourth quarter, when the Raiders held the ball for 11:09 of the 15 total minutes. Included was that closing 15-playdrive after Armiento’s interception that ate the final 7:35 off the clock.
- Colgate on the final drive was a perfect 4-of-4 on third down conversions, finishing 12-of-18 for the game. The Raiders also were 3-of-3 on fourth down tries.
Turning Point
- Two interceptions in the final 20 minutes sandwiched around an 83-yard TD drive for the winning score.
- Russo’s pick with 3:20 left in the third quarter halted what could have been a game-clinching drive for Holy Cross. The Crusaders led 17-13 and had first-and-10 at the Raider 18 when Russo dropped into coverage and grabbed his first career interception. The 7-yard return set the stage for Colgate winningdrive.
- The Raiders turned Russo’s pick into a 14-play, 83-yard scoring march that culminated in Melville’s 1-yard keeper with 11:26 showing.
- Holy Cross drove right back into Colgate territory, reaching the 22-yard line. But Armiento intercepted Pujals at the Colgate 5 to ice that threat.
- Holy Cross never regained possession over the game’s final 7:35.
Records Watch
- Armiento’s interception was his first of the season and 13th of his Colgate career. The senior safety is now tied for third on the all-time Colgate chart with Sheldon Spicer (1985-87) and Marcus Cameron (1993-96).
- Last season, Armiento posted six interceptions to tie for the fourth-best mark in school history. One of those picks was in the end zone and late at Holy Cross to set up a game-winning touchdown drive in a 28-24 Raiders victory.
- Greenawalt’s 14-yard touchdown catch was the first of his career. It was the only catch of the day for the first-year from Erie, Pennsylvania.
From the Sources
- Colgate head coach Dan Hunt: (On the hard-fought win) “It was good to have one like that. Our two wins before today, we led from start to finish. It was good to be down and have to respond in the secondhalf. We challenged the defense in particular at halftime and, boy, they did a great job.
“Holy Cross scored 17 points and didn’t punt, which is really strange. It was good to see the defense step up with those two huge interceptions.”
(On the closing drive) “That’s Colgate; that’s what we do. The minute we got the ball, the players knew it. They kept saying, ‘This is it. They’re not getting the ball back. We’re going to drive it home.’ Boy, they did it.”
(On Armiento’s heroics) “I’m sure Coach (Tom) Gilmore’s going to be happy that Mike’s graduating. But that’s what great players do. When it’s time and we need a play, he makes the play. That’s what he’s done for four years. And it’s good to see him get an interception, because he’s been deserving of that with the way he’s been playing.
“Good players make good plays at big times, and certainly he did it.”
(On passing game improvements) “It was good to get two touchdown passes, to get us in the end zone via the air. Jake is comfortable when he gets a couple of early completions. On his first third down, he scrambled and had a nice completion to Lalli. From there, he was going pretty well.”
- Colgate linebacker Vinny Russo: (On his interception) “It was cover-2 and I’m the long-dropper. I saw the zone-read fake and thought it was a run, so I came up. But I was able to get back on the seam route. When I looked back, the ball was coming right to me.”
- Colgate safety Mike Armiento: (On intercepting Holy Cross two years in a row) “It’s all about preparation. That’s what we were looking for in the red zone, and it’s all about understanding what they were going to do.
(On watching the offense close out the game) “Offense is your best defense, and when they’re allowed to go down the field in seven minutes against all three timeouts, and they’re still driving the field and they can’t do anything about it, it’s an awesome feeling.”
(On the victory) “This is a great win for us. “We rallied when we had to and pitched a shutout in the secondhalf, which was awesome. We just need to keep on this run and get the four-game winning streak next week at home against Princeton.”
- Colgate wide receiver Alex Greenawalt: (On his touchdown) “I had a curl-route on the play but then saw Jake rolling out. It was just scramble-drill, working side to side. I thought the defender was on my back, but I guess I had a little more room and Jake put a great ball on me.”
(On his sideline prowess) “I’m long, so it’s easy to put it up and outside. I like playing on the sideline. It’s fun, it’s easy to get open and you can make some exciting catches.”
- Colgate quarterback Jake Melville: (On Saturday’s hard-fought win) “They played us tough. We came out a little slow in the first half, but our run game picked up in the second half and that just helped our offense.”
(On his TD passes) “On C.J.’s, it was a play-action pass near the goal line. He was standing wide openand it gave me a nice little easy throw. And then Greenie, I escaped the pocket and he made a play to get some separation. He gave me a nice little window and I hit him.”
(On the closing drive) “Our line was dominating. We were doing whatever we wanted. Our running backs were hitting the holes and getting 5 yards a pop. That’s how you end a game.”
- Colgate tight end C.J. Stempeck: (On his touchdown catch) “It’s mostly the play. I kind of get lost in all the hustle and bustle. I popped out the back and Jake found me. It’s all the play.
“In my career, I’ve scored on that exact play probably five times. I’ve been begging them to put it back in. It works. It’s all the design.”
Gate Grab Bag
- Saturday’s crowd was 3,720 despite intermittent rain showers.
Up Next
- Colgate caps its four-game homestand with a 1 p.m. kickoff next Saturday against Princeton. The Tigers are 2-1 after Saturday’s 38-6 thumping of Columbia. Campus Insiders once again is providing the onlinestreaming coverage.
Coy Nets Raiders Late Draw, 1-1
88th-Minute Goal Rallies Colgate Against Navy; Raiders Host Cornell Monday Night
By Kat Castner
(Hamilton, NY – Oct. 4, 2014) Sarah Coy’s 88th-minute equalizer helped Colgate women’s soccer rally for a 1-1 tie against Navy here Saturday night.
The Raiders had trailed since the 24th minute, when Navy’s Meghan Hegarty redirected a corner kick. That goal snapped Colgate’s streak of six consecutive shutout games, a program record, dating to a 2-0 victory over UMass. Lowell back on Sept. 7.
But with the clock winding down, Coy collected the ball on the left side of the penalty area and fired far post into the right corner of the net for her third goal of the season. Emily Pullen earned the assist on the play after sending a brilliant ball up the field to the foot of Coy.
Neither team was able find the game-winner in the two 10-minute extra time periods ending the game in a draw.
Colgate’s goalie, Brenna Mason, matched her career-high 10 saves in the contest, including two from point-blank range.
Colgate is now 8-1-2 overall and 3-0-1 in the Patriot League, while Navy is 6-3-4 and 2-1-1.
Colgate has a quick turnaround as it takes its 10-game unbeaten streak into a contest with Central New York rival Cornell on Monday. Start time is 7 p.m. on Beyer-Small ’76 Field.
Bottom Line
• Colgate 1, Navy 1 – 2OT
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate shifts to 8-1-2 overall, 3-0-1 in conference
• Navy moves to 6-3-4 overall, 2-1-1 in conference
Key Raider Info
• Coy led the Raiders with her third goal of the season
• The Raiders scored the equalizing goal in the 88th minute
• Colgate remains unbeaten in last 10 games
• Mason matched her career-high 10 saves in the contest.
Facts & Figures
• The Mids held the slight edge on shots at 20-16 and on corner kicks 9-7
• It was a clean game overall with no cards being issued
• Navy recorded 13 fouls, however, to Colgate’s 10
• Coy was tied for leading all players with five shots
• Jenna Panepinto and Jenna Raepple both added two shots each as well.
• Navy’s goal came from the foot of Hegarty at the 23:38 mark in the first half.
• The Mids goal was the first, first half marker the Raiders have given up since their season opener against then No. 19 ranked Boston College.
The Equalizer
• Colgate rattled off multiple chances during the rest of the first half and into the second but it wasn’t until the 87:37 mark that the Raiders broke through
– Jenna Panepinto started the play by sending a simple pass to fellow teammate Pullen. The sophomore then sent a perfectly placed ball 40-yards up the field to the foot of Coy on the left wing. The Boca Raton, Florida, native collected the ball and took a few touches inside the 18-yard box before blasting a shot into the right-hand corner of the net, to tie the game.
Unbeaten Streak Continues
• The Raiders have not dropped a contest since it’s season opener on Aug. 22 when they lost to Boston College.
• Colgate had its seven-game winning streaking halted in the contest, however. That feat spanned from a 3-1 victory over Vermont on Sept. 5 to a 5-0 win over Army on Oct. 1.
• Also the Raiders held seven opponents scoreless for a little more than 655 minutes of play prior to Navy netting their goal in the game.
Three-Way Tie
• There are three Raiders in a three-way tie for leading the team with seven points each.
– Catherine Williams, Eliza Doll and Coy are all tied with a team-leading seven points on the season. Williams has posted three goals and one assist, Doll two goals and three assists, and Coy three goals and one assist.
Top Of The Table
• The Raiders still remain tops of the Patriot League standings with a record of 3-0-1 in league play.
• Boston U. and Lehigh follow with records of 2-0-2 to sit tied for second place.
Straight From The Source
• Head Coach Kathy Brawn (on her team’s 1-1 draw with Navy): “For the situation we were in, to find a way to come back and tie the game and get a result is something we’re not completely happy with but we will take it and move on.”
“We ultimately come away with a tie against a really strong Navy team and we’ll possibly see them again somewhere down the road.”
(On Sarah Coy’s tying goal): “We could definitely feel that something was coming. That happened a few times tonight. We felt that we had a little momentum going finally and if we kept on doing some of the things we wanted to do then it would come. Certainly when you have someone like Sarah, who can see a gap and drive into it and finish off a shot, good things can happen.”
Up Next
• The Raiders next match up is with Central New York foe and nearby rival Cornell
• The Big Red are coming off an Ivy League game with Pennsylvania; where they took a 3-2 victory over the Quakers
• The game is set for 7 p.m. on Beyer-Small ’76 Field.
• Live stats and video available at the start of the game.