{"id":53791,"date":"2014-02-24T07:00:14","date_gmt":"2014-02-24T12:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=53791"},"modified":"2014-02-23T23:28:04","modified_gmt":"2014-02-24T04:28:04","slug":"colgate-sports-weekend-wrap-up-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=53791","title":{"rendered":"Colgate Sports Weekend Wrap-up"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"COLGATE<\/a><\/p>\n

Raiders Flank Army Again, 71-60<\/strong><\/p>\n

Third Win in Last Four over Black Knights as Jones Scores 23, Harris Posts Double-Double<\/p>\n

By John Painter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Hamilton, NY \u2013 Feb. 19, 2014) \u00a0It\u2019s hardly ho-hum, but Colgate keeps finding ways to beat Army.<\/p>\n

The Raiders did it again here\u00a0Wednesday, clipping the Cadets 71-60 to make it three wins in the last four against their closest Patriot League neighbors. Mariah Jones led the charge with 23 points and Carole Harris posted her sixth double-double of the year for the winners.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great victory for our team,\u201d Jones said. \u201cOur morale is going to be up now because we know we can beat a really tough team like Army. We know that if we do the little things like we\u2019ve been practicing, they\u2019ll show in the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones missed by one point of matching her season high, while Harris scored a double-double for the fourth time in Colgate\u2019s six victories this season. The Raiders improved to 6-20 overall and 2-13 in the Patriot League, while Army dropped to 18-7 and 10-4.<\/p>\n

Two Straight in Hamilton<\/p>\n

Last year, Colgate capped its season with two wins over the regular-season champion Black Knights in a 15-day span \u2013 60-56 in Hamilton and 48-40 at West Point in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals. Wednesday\u2019s result was another unexpected kick in the pants \u2013 on both sides.<\/p>\n

\u201cArmy is a great team,\u201d Colgate head coach Nicci Hays Fort said. \u201cDave Magarity\u2019s done a great job; Kelsey Minato and Jen Hazlett are great, great players. We just came up with a defensive game plan and I challenged our players, \u2018Can we do it?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we could do it, we would give ourselves a chance to win. And they went out and ran the defensive game plan to perfection, hit huge free throws down the stretch \u2013 all the credit to our team. They went out and got it done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s game had several keys:<\/p>\n

— Colgate shot 61.5 percent in the first half for its best 20 minutes of shooting in any half this season. The previous high was 59.4 percent in the second half of a\u00a0Jan. 15\u00a0win over Boston University.<\/p>\n

— That was Colgate\u2019s most recent victory. The Raiders had lost nine straight and 15 of their last 16. Army, on the other hand, entered\u00a0Wednesday\u00a0in a virtual tie for second place, having won six of its last seven.<\/p>\n

— Harris finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds.<\/p>\n

— Jones made one 3-pointer for the 111th of her career, tying her for fifth in Colgate history. Missy Repoli made two treys, however, and passed Jones for the team\u2019s season lead, 41-40. Repoli has 108 for her career and Catherine Lewis, who also made two against Army, has 104.<\/p>\n

— Colgate finished with 12 turnovers, but only three of those came in the crucial second half.<\/p>\n

— Points in the paint went Colgate\u2019s way by a 32-14 spread; Bench points were 21-2, Maroons.<\/p>\n

— First-year forward Jackie Hudepohl had a season-high seven rebounds, all on the defensive glass. The Raiders won the all-important rebounding category, 42-36.<\/p>\n

— Lauryn Kobiela dished out five more assists to move into fifth place on the Colgate career list with 344.<\/p>\n

— Sophomore Randyll Butler finished 7-of-10 at the line for career highs in both made free throws and attempts. Butler entered\u00a0Wednesday\u00a0shooting just below the halfway mark at the stripe for the season, but she made her last six attempts in the game and Colgate made its last 10 as a team.<\/p>\n

\u201cFree throws always are important,\u201d said Butler, who scored 11 points and added five boards. \u201cI haven\u2019t been shooting very well, but my teammates are always encouraging me to just have confidence when I get up there. I just tried to step up and knock them down tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-Half Brilliance<\/p>\n

The first 20 minutes saw three ties and a pair of lead changes. But by the time Colgate took its opening-half shooting display to the locker room, the Raiders were in front 35-23. Only last month\u2019s 19-point cushion against Boston University was better.<\/p>\n

But the Raiders were certain Army would make a charge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew Army was a great team and we knew this wasn\u2019t just a first-half game,\u201d Butler said. \u201cWe had to come out extra strong because we knew they were going to come back, so we just kept pushing. We had a couple of lulls and they got it down to three, but everybody as a team said, \u2018We can\u2019t let up. We\u2019ve got to keep attacking.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Army got as close as 52-49 on a Minato free throw with still\u00a07:34\u00a0remaining. The super soph scored 20 points \u2013 15 in the second half \u2013 but that meant she was below her season average of 21.9. Jen Hazlett claimed team honors with 23, but she was just 9-of-26 from the field and one of only five Knights to find the scoring column.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just kept saying, \u2018We have to get every rebound\u2019 and then get good shots,\u201d Hays Fort said. \u201cSo we started to regain the lead to about six and we felt a little more comfortable. Then they had to start fouling us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgate pushed back to a 59-50 cushion when Jones cashed in her only 3-ball of the night with\u00a05:21\u00a0to play. Army narrowed the lead to 61-57 at the\u00a02:42mark, but never could get any closer as the Raiders took dead aim from the free-throw line.<\/p>\n

Careful Down the Stretch<\/p>\n

Also important was how well Colgate handled the ball. Three turnovers against full-court pressure for most of the second half was key.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t usually have a problem late in games because of Lauryn Kobiela,\u201d Hays Fort said. \u201cWith Mariah, Randyll and Lauryn, there are three point guards on the floor. We knew if we made a good initial pass, we would be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgate finished at 49.1 percent from the field, making 26-of-53, including 6-of-13 from the arc. The Raiders were 13-of-17 at the line. Army shot 30.3 percent on 20-of-66. They made 6-of-22 from downtown and 14-of-21 from the line.<\/p>\n

In addition to Colgate\u2019s double-figure scorers, Kobiela added eight points, Repoli and Lewis six apiece and Josie Stockill four. Stockill matched her season high with four blocks and jumped to ninth on Colgate\u2019s career list with 65.<\/p>\n

For Jones, the 23 points marked her third game this season scoring in the 20s, her 13th in double figures and her sixth time to lead the team. February had been a dry month until she scored 16 Saturday against Navy, so maybe the shooting touch is returning.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy teammates were really finding me,\u201d Jones said. \u201cCoach was talking about pushing the ball in transitions, so that\u2019s what we were doing. It\u2019s been tough, my shooting, the last few games, so it\u2019s nice to have a good output this game to help the team win.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-Year Ace<\/p>\n

And Hudepohl was huge as well, easily topping her previous rebounding high of four.<\/p>\n

“I was just trying to go in there and help my team play defense and rebound,\u201d Hudepohl said. \u201cThat\u2019s what Coach emphasizes that I need to do every game. I came in there and was fired up from the beginning and showed Coach that I was ready to play tonight.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe decided to leave me in there and I was just trying to play hard for my teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgate moved into a ninth-place tie with its next opponent, Loyola. The Raiders and Greyhounds meet\u00a0Sunday\u00a0in Baltimore at\u00a01 p.m.<\/p>\n

The Raiders still have a shot at catching eight-place Lehigh (4-10) and hosting a Patriot League Tournament first-round game. After Loyola, Colgate visits Lafayette next Wednesday and then hosts Lehigh for Senior Day\u00a0March 1.<\/p>\n

Raiders Break Record in Loss to Army<\/strong><\/p>\n

Colgate Sees Four in Double-Digits But Can\u2019t Get Past Black Knights, Drop 74-66 Decision<\/p>\n

By Kat Castner<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(West Point, NY \u2013 Feb. 19, 2014) \u00a0Head Coach\u00a0Matt Langel’s squad of 17 broke a program record on Wednesday night, which had been standing for exactly 20 years, but the Raiders couldn’t get past Army, as they dropped a 74-66 decision to the Black Knights.<\/p>\n

Colgate hit its target of four made 3-pointers, which it needed heading into Wednesday’s game to surpass the record of most 3-pointers made in a season. Colgate now currently has 228 field goals from behind the arc with at least four more games to play. The prior record of 225 was achieved during the 1993-94 season, in which the Raiders finished with an overall record of 17-12, and 9-5 in conference play.<\/p>\n

To beat the record the Raiders saw\u00a0Ethan Jacobs\u00a0drain 3-of-4 from 3-point range, while three other Colgate players added one each, to finish the game with six makes from downtown. The Raiders shot 35 percent from behind the arc, hitting six of their 17 attempts.<\/p>\n

In a game that was tied 35-all at the half, Colgate wasn’t able to stop two big Army runs down the stretch and saw the Black Knights outscore the Raiders 39-31 in the second 20 minutes. Nine of those 39 points came from the charity stripe in the final minute and a half of action and six of those nine came from the hands of Kyle Wilson, who matched his career-high 29 points in the game.<\/p>\n

“It was another hard fought back and forth league game,” Langel said. “We turned it over a few more times than I would like but part of that is Army’s style of play, so I credit them. Again, we played well enough overall but were not able to make the necessary plays at critical points of the game on either end to earn a road win.<\/p>\n

“Kyle WIlson was terrific and I credit Coach (Zach) Spiker for putting his players in a great position to have success, especially late in the game.”<\/p>\n

Colgate (9-17, 3-12 PL) notched four players in double-figures for the first time since Jan. 18, when the Raiders defeated Navy, 63-41.\u00a0Austin Tillotson\u00a0lead the way for the second time in as many games, posting 14 points from 6-of-8 shooting, while also dishing out three assists.<\/p>\n

Murphy Burnatowski\u00a0and Jacobs added 11 points each, with Burnatowski tied for leading the team on the boards with five rebounds.\u00a0Luke Roh\u00a0finished out the Raiders in double-digits with 10 points after going 5-of-6 from the floor. The junior also posted a team-high four assists, and needs just two more to move into 10th all time in Colgate’s records book for career assists.<\/p>\n

Clayton Graham\u00a0matched Burnatowski’s five boards, while also earning seven points to push his scoring streak to 10 games.<\/p>\n

The Raiders shot 52 percent overall from the floor and 57 percent from the free throw line. Colgate converted 34 of its 66 points from inside the paint but saw the Black Knights record 11 points off of second chance opportunities.<\/p>\n

Both teams pulled down 25 rebounds, while Army had the slight edge on assists, 15-13 and turnovers, 14-13.<\/p>\n

Army (13-13, 9-6 PL) shot 57 percent throughout the game and 47 percent from long. Wilson’s career night lead all scorers after he went 8-of-10 from the floor, 3-of-3 from the 3-point line, and 10-of-11 from the charity stripe. He was also tied for leading the team with three assists.<\/p>\n

Kevin Ferguson added 17 points and went 7-for-7 from the floor, while Dylan Cox drained two of his three from downtown for his 15 points. Cox led all players on the boards with seven rebounds followed by Ferguson’s six.<\/p>\n

Wilson, Ferguson and Cox accounted for 61 of Army’s final 74 points.<\/p>\n

Colgate started the game on a 12-4 run to grab the early lead at the 16:08 mark in the first half. Jacobs had two of his three treys during that stretch.<\/p>\n

Army, however, would respond with a 13-0 run to take over the lead by five, at 17-12. The Black Knights kept the Raiders scoreless for a little over six minutes until Graham ended the drought with a good layup.<\/p>\n

After the teams exchanges buckets over the next seven minutes a Matt Gramling jumper made it a six-point edge for Army with 3:50 remaining in the half.<\/p>\n

Colgate would answer, though, with a 10-4 run, which was sparked by a late block from\u00a0Damon Sherman-Newsome\u00a0and a quick feed out to Tillotson, who was able to complete an and-1, knotting the score at 35-35 to close out the half.<\/p>\n

The Raiders started the half on a run for the second time, this time it was a 8-2 run, which featured two makes from downtown, giving the Raiders a six-point advantage, at 43-37, with 15 minutes to play.<\/p>\n

Again the Black Knights had a response, as they countered with a 10-2 run to take over the lead by two, midway through the second 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

Both teams swapped baskets until a good layup from Graham pulled the Raiders to within one, at 56-55, with 5:32 remaining in the game.<\/p>\n

But another big run for Army created a hole for the Raiders that they just couldn’t seem to get out of. The Black Knights went on a 13-2 run over the course of four minutes, creating a 12-point margin between the teams.<\/p>\n

Colgate would get the deficit down to six after a made 3-pointer from Jacobs but that would be the closest they would come as the Black Knights finished the game hitting 6-of-7 from the free throw line in the final 1:27 to ultimately secure the win.<\/p>\n

“Basketball is a game of runs and momentum,” Langel said.<\/p>\n

“Army plays a style that magnifies that aspect of the game. This game, like most every game we have lost, unfortunately, was really a one or two possession game, in which we couldn’t get the critical stop or score at the opportune moment. There is not a magic formula to help us get there, or at least not one that I know of other than hard work and continued attention to the details. As cliche as it sounds, if we each did one thing better, the result would be much more favorable.”<\/p>\n

The Raiders are back on their home court Saturday when they welcome Loyola at 2 p.m. In conjunction with Saturday’s game Colgate will also host its Second Annual Alzheimer’s Awareness Game. Fans are encouraged to wear purple and join the Raiders in creating awareness for Alzheimer’s.
\nSpink Hat Trick Pounds Princeton, 6-1<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tyson Nets Three in Key Road Win as No. 19 Raiders Move into Second-Place Tie<\/p>\n

By John Painter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Princeton, NJ \u2013 Feb. 21, 2014) \u00a0It\u2019s a Hobey house of horrors no more.<\/p>\n

Tyson Spink scored his first collegiate hat trick and Charlie Finn stopped 24 shots as 19th-ranked Colgate breezed past Princeton 6-1 here\u00a0Friday\u00a0night.<\/p>\n

The Raiders improved to 2-0-2 in their last four games and climbed into a second-place tie in the ECAC Hockey standings. They did so by reversing their recent fortunes at Hobey Baker Arena, where Colgate had lost its last three visits and four of its last five at the fabled hockey barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the tie last Saturday, as soon as the game ended, we turned our attention and our focus to this game,\u201d Raiders head coach Don Vaughan said. \u201cIt\u2019s a building we\u2019ve not had a lot of success in. There\u2019s no denying that; it\u2019s not a secret.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we talked about it immediately, the guys had a great week of practice and they were feeling pretty good coming in here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spink looked to be feeling the best, because the sophomore winger needed only 2 minutes and 12 seconds to begin the top goal-scoring night of his collegiate career. His early strike staked the Raiders to a 1-0 lead and led to Colgate\u2019s third hat trick of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was going tonight,\u201d Spink said. \u201cI had a lot of chances around the net. Give credit to my linemates; they played really well, Ty and Baun. Our entire team skated really well tonight and that was a big difference.<\/p>\n

One in Each Period<\/p>\n

Spink scored a goal in each period and his linemates assisted on all three: Kyle Baun in the first and twin brother Tylor Spink in the second and third. Tyson\u2019s night was almost even crazier as he hit a post late in the first period.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe and his brother find each other, and with Kyle Baun there\u2019s a lot of chemistry,\u201d Vaughan said. \u201cKyle separates the puck from the opposition and the other two guys just seem to find each other in traffic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did that again tonight. They\u2019re fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Princeton\u2019s only interruption to the Colgate onslaught came when Jack Berger scored from right in front at\u00a09:17\u00a0of the second period. But Tyson Spink answered with his second goal just a minute and a half later to put the Raiders in front for keeps.<\/p>\n

They took command with a four-goal third, started by Mike Borkowski scoring just\u00a01:10\u00a0into the period. Princeton committed a 5-minute major penalty a minute later and Spink completed his hat trick at\u00a03:39. Ryan Johnston added a goal at\u00a06:14\u00a0and then Joe Wilson scored on a breakaway with six minutes left to cap the scoring.<\/p>\n

Another Four-Goal Third<\/p>\n

That four-goal period matched the team\u2019s best 20-minute stretch of the season, duplicating the four-goal third in a carbon-copy 6-1 win over Cornell just two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played a good game from start to finish,\u201d Vaughan said. \u201cWe were a little bit snake-bitten around the net in the first, and then Princeton had some energy in the second.<\/p>\n

\u201cScoring early in the third was big for us and then, obviously, the five-minute major turned the tide completely. But getting that goal early in the third was big for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Finn improved his ECAC Hockey record to 10-2-3 and won his 12th start overall. The freshman was surrounded by quality defense all night, and Colgate\u2019s offensive pressure was such that he saw only four Princeton shots in the third period.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe D and the forwards did a really phenomenal job letting me see the puck and taking away secondary scoring chances,\u201d Finn said. \u201cIt was mostly one-and-dones, which makes a goaltender\u2019s job a lot easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe felt very good coming into this game. Obviously, we tied two very competitive teams last weekend. But whether this team is in last place or second place, there\u2019s so much parity in this league that they\u2019re still a very talented team. They have a couple of looks on the power play and they can sting you if you\u2019re not on top of your game.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to the Spink duo, Wilson also had a two-point night by assisting on Johnston\u2019s goal. Other assists went to Darcy Murphy on Borkowski\u2019s goal, and Brendan Corcoran and John Lidgett on the Wilson nightcap.<\/p>\n

\u201cComing in we knew this was a big game for us,\u201d Tyson Spink said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have a very good outing in this rink last year, so we needed to work hard and we played a really good team game tonight.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach was stressing that we needed to work hard and out-compete these guys, and we did that.<\/p>\n

56-Shot Night<\/p>\n

Colgate outshot Princeton 56-25 and finished with four penalties for eight minutes to the Tigers\u2019 nine for 29. Colton Phinney took the loss for Princeton, allowing five goals before being relieved by Ryan Benitez for the final 12\u00bd minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe game\u2019s physical and our guys did a good job holding their composure, especially when you get up by that many goals,\u201d Vaughan said. \u201cBut I was proud of our effort. Jake Kulevich on the back end had a really good night for us and we closed quickly in our own zone. We were able to get it out of our end quickly and out of trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, I was happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vaughan also had to be pleased that it was such a good night for Colgate in the ECAC Hockey standings \u2013 in both directions.<\/p>\n

Looking forward, the Raiders pulled into a dead heat with Quinnipiac, which lost 2-1\u00a0Friday\u00a0at home to Cornell and now hosts Colgate in a head-to-head battle for second place Saturday at 7 p.m. in Hamden, Conn. The Raiders also moved four points clear of the fifth-place team after Clarkson was blanked at Union. Yale takes over fifth with 21 points and only three games remaining.<\/p>\n

Colgate improved to 15-11-5 overall and 11-5-3 in conference play. The top four regular season finishers earn a first-round bye.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a great group,\u201d Vaughan said. \u201cIt\u2019s the best\u00a0team\u00a0I think I\u2019ve ever had in terms of the character in the room and the camaraderie. We\u2019ve had some great teams, but this one\u2019s really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ColgateK4060\"<\/a>\u00a0Ethan Jacobs scored a team-high 20 points to lead Colgate to an 84-60 win over Loyola\u00a0Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Bob Cornell)<\/i><\/p>\n

Colgate Stiffs Loyola, 84-60<\/b><\/p>\n

Raiders Earn Four in Double-Digits for Second Straight Game; Jacobs with 2nd Career 20-Point Game<\/p>\n

By Kat Castner<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

(Hamilton, NY \u2013 Feb. 22, 2014)\u00a0Quality shooting was the key Saturday afternoon as Colgate defeated Loyola by a wide margin of 84-60 behind four players in double-digits during its annual Alzheimer’s Awareness Game.<\/p>\n

“I’d first like to thank the Alzheimer’s Association of Central New York and Under Armour for their generosity in providing T-shirts for us to bring some awareness to a terrible disease in Alzheimer’s and giving us a chance to raise a little bit of money for them,” Colgate head coach\u00a0Matt Langel said.<\/p>\n

“It was a great day for us. I thought\u00a0Ethan Jacobs\u00a0really anchored our defense. Without (Dylon) Cormier in their lineup, who is the leading scorer in the league, Loyola really tried to pound it down inside and get the ball to (Jordan) Latham. Ethan did a great job of not allowing that to happen. He had a couple big blocked shots and rebounds that jump-started his offense.<\/p>\n

“On the offensive end, we moved the ball, we attacked but that’s what we are capable of. I think that all the teams in the league are aware of that and know that but they’ve just been able to play a better offense than we have. As we move forward if our defense can sustain than we have a chance to beat anybody in our league on any given night.”<\/p>\n

Behind a solid crowd dressed in purple the Raiders shot 60.4 percent on the night, for their third highest scoring game of the season. Colgate also drained 12 of its 18 from behind the arc to finish the night shooting 66.7 percent from long.<\/p>\n

The contest was pretty even throughout the opening 14 minutes with the Greyhounds holding the one-point edge with 6:16 left in the first. A 20-5 Raider run to close out the half, however, sent Colgate into the break with the 44-30 advantage. The Raiders started the second half with a trey from Jacobs to extend their lead and never looked back. Loyola pulled within 15 points with a little less than 12 minutes to play but Colgate quickly increased its advantage to a comfortable 20-points to ultimately secure the victory.<\/p>\n

Colgate (10-17, 4-12 PL) earned four players in double-figures for the second straight game.\u00a0Ethan Jacobs\u00a0recorded a game-high performance, posting 20 points, three boards, and two blocks. The junior was 8-of-10 from the floor, while going 4-of-5 from downtown for his second career 20-point game.\u00a0Austin Tillotson\u00a0was a close second with 17 points and a game-high seven assists. He is now in ninth place all-time in program history with 113 season assists.<\/p>\n

Murphy Burnatowski and\u00a0Nathan Harries\u00a0closed out the Raiders in double-figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Burnatowski led all players on the boards with five rebounds, while Harries matched his career-high 10 points.<\/p>\n

Luke Roh\u00a0added four assists in the contest, which now ties him for ninth in Colgate’s all-time career assists with 246.<\/p>\n

The Raiders were one assist shy of matching their season-high with 22 assists throughout the game. Colgate also notched 32 points in the paint, while converting 18 points off of Greyhound turnovers.<\/p>\n

Loyola (10-17, 7-6 PL) saw R.J. Williams earn a team-high 16 points in the contest. Jarred Jones also added 10 points to the Greyhounds total. Three Loyola players tallied four boards to lead the team, while Jevon Patton lead the Greyhounds with three assists.<\/p>\n

The Greyhounds shot 42.6 percent from the floor while also shooting 42.9 percent from downtown.<\/p>\n

In the opening 20 minutes of action there were five lead changes and four ties.<\/p>\n

Loyola led with 6:16 left to play before the break after a 3-pointer from Denzel Brito but Colgate responded with a 20-5 run to close out the half, taking a 14-point edge into the second half.<\/p>\n

Colgate had seven of its 12 treys in the first 20 minutes, while missing only two from behind the arc in the first half.<\/p>\n

Like he started the first half, Jacobs drained a 3-pointer to begin the second half, which increased the Raiders lead to 17 with 18 minutes to play.<\/p>\n

Williams cut the Colgate lead to 15 points with less than 12 minutes to go but that would be the closest they would come as the Raiders saw Tillotson hit back-to-back 3-pointers for Colgate to push its lead to a comfortable 20-point edge.<\/p>\n

The Raiders would control the remainder of the game to earn the 24-point victory for their fourth conference win.<\/p>\n

Colgate is back in action Wednesday when it hosts Lafayette at 7 p.m. on Cotterell Court. The Raiders will also recognize three senior players prior to the start of the game.<\/p>\n

“The league has proven that any team, top to bottom, can beat any team on any given night,” Langel added. “We will enjoy this one for today and then we will start to go work on Lafayette, who’s playing great. They’ve got their all-league player back and we will try to find a way to win that game at home.”<\/p>\n

NOTES:\u00a0Burnatowski needs just 68 more points to reach 1,000 in his 2 years at Colgate \u2026 Tillotson and Burnatowski are both riding a four-game double-figure scoring streak.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Rastrick Registers Game-Winner<\/strong><\/p>\n

Raiders Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With 1-0 Victory Over Princeton; Rando Records First Career Shutout<\/p>\n

By Kat Castner<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Hamilton, NY \u2013 Feb. 22, 2014) Rookie\u00a0Hannah Rastrick\u00a0chose a great time to tally the first goal of her career, as it helped lift the Colgate women’s hockey team 1-0 past Princeton on Friday night, keeping the Raiders’ playoff hopes alive.<\/p>\n

“It was a great win,” Colgate head coach\u00a0Greg Fargo\u00a0said. “At this point in the year, every win is a good win. Princeton’s a good team and they played us really hard earlier in the season so this was a good test for us.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got another big game tomorrow that we will try and take care of.”<\/p>\n

Colgate now has 14 points on the season and sits in a tie for ninth place with Rensselaer in the ECAC Hockey standings. The top eight teams make it into the playoffs and the Raiders need a victory Saturday over No. 9\/10 Quinnipiac and a Dartmouth loss at Yale in order to reach the feat for the second year in a row. Dartmouth has 15 points and is positioned currently in the eighth spot.<\/p>\n

Rastrick’s marker 2:54 into the third period made this scenario possible.\u00a0Taylor Volpe\u00a0fed the puck up the ice to\u00a0Melissa Kueber, who found herself on a two-on-one with Rastrick and a Tiger defender. Kueber slid the puck over the Rastrick, where the freshman fired it between the legs of Princeton’s netminder for the eventual game-winner.<\/p>\n

“I’m happy for Hannah (Rastrick) to get her first one,” Fargo said. “She is someone who has continued to get better and better as every week goes by. She’s not typically an offensive defensemen but great play by her to jump up on the rush and get rewarded with her first collegiate goal.”<\/p>\n

The Raiders are now on a three-game winning streak and have won five of their last seven games.<\/p>\n

Colgate (10-21-2, 7-14, 0-ECAC) slightly outshot Princeton, 21-20, with both team’s recording double-digit shots in the final period. Both teams also went scoreless of the power play. Colgate was 0-3, while the Tigers were 0-2.<\/p>\n

After a penalty-free opening frame, Colgate held the slight edge on shots at 4-2, thanks to a solid defensive performance, which featured five blocked shots.Taylor Craig\u00a0had two of those five.<\/p>\n

Rookie\u00a0Kayla Haus\u00a0had a great chance for Colgate right before the buzzer sounded, with a slap shot from just inside the left faceoff circle. Kimberly Newell came up with a stellar glove save, however, to keep the game scoreless.<\/p>\n

Four minutes into the second frame, Colgate’s\u00a0Ashlynne Rando\u00a0made an incredible kick save on a shot by Brianne Mahoney after the Tigers found themselves on a fast break opportunity.<\/p>\n

Princeton (13-11-4, 9-9-3 ECAC) was awarded the game’s first power play chance a few seconds later, following a cross checking call. Colgate’s defense came up big again, though; deflecting off any Tiger looks on net to kill off the penalty.<\/p>\n

Rando made a goal saving stop for the second time in the game with less than a minute to play in the period. Brianna Leahy saw an opening and tried her luck on goal but Rando grabbed the puck with her glove before it could find the net.<\/p>\n

The Raiders broke through 2:54 into the final frame when Rastrick netted the first goal of her career.<\/p>\n

The Tigers turned up their offensive pressure over the course of the next 10 minutes, but each time the Raiders had the answer.<\/p>\n

Late in the period Princeton was awarded an extra skater when Colgate was called for tripping. The Tigers managed just one shot during their man up advantage thanks to a strong Raider defensive effort.<\/p>\n

Princeton earned two shots in the final two minutes but Rando would not give up her shutout, closing down any final Tiger attempts to secure the Colgate win.<\/p>\n

Rando posted 20 saves in her sixth win of the year, while Newell also notched 20 in the loss. Rando posted her first collegiate shutout in the victory as well.<\/p>\n

“Ashlynne’s been great, game after game,” Fargo added of his goalie’s solid play. “She comes out and does what every coach asks of their goalie and that’s giving their team a chance to win every night. She was battling to find pucks today and did a nice job to hold us in with a couple big saves late when we needed it.”<\/p>\n

Colgate has a big game Saturday when it hosts No. 9\/10 Quinnipiac at 4 p.m. in its final regular season game of the year. The Raiders need a win and a Dartmouth loss at Yale to advance to playoffs. Colgate will recognize six special seniors during this game as well, who will play in their last game at Starr Rink.<\/p>\n

Colgate Seniors Recognized In Final Game<\/strong><\/p>\n

Raiders Close Out Season After Tough 3-0 Loss to No. 9\/10 Quinnipiac<\/p>\n

By Kat Castner<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Hamilton, NY \u2013 Feb. 22, 2014) For six special Colgate players it was their final game in a Raider uniform and despite it not being the outcome they would have hoped for, these talented players have plenty of accomplishments to be proud of.<\/p>\n

Senior captain\u00a0Megan Wickens\u00a0had this to say about her last game as a Colgate Raider.<\/p>\n

“It hasn’t sunk in yet. I honestly don’t think that after four years of growing and becoming the player that I’ve become with these teammates that I love so much, I don’t think that it will sink in for quite awhile. I’ve had such an amazing time.”<\/p>\n

Seniors\u00a0Stephanie Giannopoulos,\u00a0Caroline Potolicchio,\u00a0Jocelyn Simpson, Taylor Volpe,\u00a0Rachel Walsh\u00a0and Wickens played in their final game in Starr Rink on Saturday afternoon, dropping a heart wrenching 3-0 decision to the No. 9\/10 team in the nation, Quinnipiac.<\/p>\n

Colgate head coach\u00a0Greg Fargo\u00a0had this to say about his team’s tough loss on Saturday.<\/p>\n

“It was a disappointing game today. We didn’t get the result that we wanted too. But all in all, especially as of late, we’ve been playing really well. We finished the year on a real high note and this is a tough way to end the season. There’s no real easy way to end it but you take the positives about how the season went, especially the second half. Really today is a day to just reflect and celebrate what we’ve accomplished this year.”<\/p>\n

After a thrilling 1-0 victory on Friday night over Princeton, Colgate was unable to finish off the weekend sweep. The Raiders needed a win on Saturday and a Dartmouth loss at Yale to secure the eighth and final playoff spot. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened as the Big Green defeated Yale 2-1 to notch the last ECAC Hockey playoff spot.<\/p>\n

Colgate’s (10-22-2, 7-15-0 ECAC) nationally ranked opponent started the scoring in the opening two minutes of play by netting a goal, which forced the Raiders to play from behind early. Two more Bobcat goals in the middle frame created a three-goal margin between the teams and despite some solid looks from Colgate in the final period, Quinnipiac secured the win.<\/p>\n

Walsh led the Raiders with three shots, while\u00a0Miriam Drubel\u00a0and\u00a0Katelyn Parker\u00a0also added two a piece. Wickens and\u00a0Hannah Rastrick\u00a0posted three blocks throughout the contest as Colgate was outshot by the Bobcats 25-12.<\/p>\n

#9\/10 Quinnipiac (20-5-9, 11-4-7 ECAC) converted on its only power play opportunity, while the Raiders went 0-for-2 on the man up advantage.<\/p>\n

The Bobcats saw Amanda Colin, Shiann Darkangelo and Cydney Roesler net goals throughout the contest. Senior Kelly Babstock recorded her 200th career point in the contest as well after she assisted on Quinnipiac’s second goal.<\/p>\n

Colgate’s nationally ranked opponent tallied a goal 1:39 into the first period. Colin worked the puck back and forth with Darkangelo, before firing one past the Raider netminder\u00a0Ashlynne Rando, who registered 22 saves in the contest.<\/p>\n

The Bobcats added another marker early in the second frame when Darkangelo found the back of the net. Late in the period Quinnipiac added a third goal, which despite some final attempts from Colgate in the last period, proved to be the insurance marker.<\/p>\n

With the loss, which ended the Raider season, Colgate losses six strong senior players.<\/p>\n

Giannopoulos was a four-year letter winner seeing action in 124 games for the Raiders earning seven points all from assists throughout her career. Three of those assists came during her junior campaign in a 6-1 victory over Princeton on February 8, 2013. She was named the team’s Most Improved Player during that season while also being named to the Raider Academic Honor Roll.<\/p>\n

Potolicchip recorded two goals in her 109 collegiate games. She tallied her first collegiate goal against Lindenwood on October 14, 2011 and then notched her second goal in the following game against Syracuse. This four-year letter winner was also a two-year Raider Academic Honor Roll recipient.<\/p>\n

Simpson, the team’s assistant captain, led the Raiders in points for three of her four seasons. She was a four-year letter winner and notched a team-leading 35 career assists, while also being tied for leading the team with 26 career goals in her 130 games. She posted a career-high four points twice throughout her four years. The first one came during the 2011-12 season when she recorded four helpers in an 8-2 win against Lindenwood. The second one happened in 2012-13 when she tallied two goals and two assists against Vermont in a 4-3 overtime victory. She is currently one of five finalists nationwide for the 2014 Hockey Humanitarian Award for her continued efforts with Autism Awareness.<\/p>\n

Walsh played in 127 games for the Raiders grabbing 25 goals and 18 assists for her 43 career points. She notched back-to-back multi point games this season when she posted two goals at RPI followed by one goal and one assist at Union to help the Raiders sweep their weekend series for the second time all year. This assistant captain finished second on the team this season with three power play goals and two game-winning goals. Walsh ends her career also tied for sixth all-time in Colgate’s history with 13 power play goals.<\/p>\n

Team captain, Wickens, has played in every game for the Raiders since her rookie season (135 games), notching six goals, 29 assists and 35 points. She has been the anchor on defense for Colgate recording six multi-point games, three of which came this season. She registered back-to-back goals this year against Brown and Yale, while also finishing second on the team with 43 season blocks.<\/p>\n

Volpe finished tied for leading the team with 26 career goals. She also recorded 17 helpers in her 133 games. She posted 12 power play goals and eight game-winners throughout her career. She earned a career-high three points in a game when she lead the Raiders in overtime past Penn State, 3-2. She had a hand in all of the goals, scoring two of the three, including the game-winner, while also registering a helper. Volpe ends her career tied for 10th all-time in Colgate career records book with 11 career power play goals and tied for fifth with eight game-winners.<\/p>\n

Colgate finishes the 2013-14 season with an overall record of 10-22-2 and 7-15-0 in conference play.<\/p>\n

“Overall I’m just really happy for these six seniors,” Fargo said. “They finished off their careers with great seasons. We saw a few of them play the best hockey they’ve ever played and we are really proud of that. They are all great people, they’re great students, and they’ve come a long way.”<\/p>\n

Tylor Spink Makes His Turn Count<\/strong><\/p>\n

#19 Raiders Clinch First-Round Bye With Win at #5 Quinnipiac<\/p>\n

\u00a0By Matt Faulkner<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

(Hamden, Conn. \u2013 Feb. 22, 2014) Sophomore Tylor Spink had his chance to shine after his twin brother\u2019s hat trick last night and he did against No. 5 Quinnipiac.<\/p>\n

Colgate (16-11-5, 12-5-3 ECAC) earned the weekend sweep with a 3-1 win over the Bobcats and has earned a first-round bye in the upcoming ECAC Hockey Tournament. The Raiders are five points ahead of Yale, who sits in fifth, with two games to go.<\/p>\n

Head coach Don Vaughan said the first round bye is important, but this team has more work to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of our guys. They just keep working on improving every day,\u201d Vaughan said. \u201cIt\u2019s a process and this group bought in early to what we are trying to do. The first round bye is important, but we know there are tough games ahead. We just try and to get better every day. Again just very proud of the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spink tried his luck at equaling his brother\u2019s hat trick, but couldn\u2019t find the third goal. He still scored twice, including the gamewinner in the third period. Darcy Murphy added an empty netter with under a minute to go in the game to seal the deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two of them compete so hard,\u201d Vaughan said of the Spink twins. \u201cI thought this weekend they really created a lot of time and space for themselves. When they get that, they make a lot of plays and that is what good players do.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t overlook what Kyle Baun does on that line as well. He is hard on the puck and separates as well as any player I\u2019ve ever coached.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charlie Finn was excellent in net with 31 saves to help the Raiders earn their second first-round bye in the last two seasons. The Raiders have tallied seven wins this season against ranked opponents and are 5-1-3 against top-20 teams in 2014.<\/p>\n

Quinnipiac (21-8-5, 11-6-3 ECAC) got its lone goal from Connor Jones on the power play, but the Bobcats\u2019 best player was Martin Garteig. He stoned the Raiders on multiple breakaways or the margin could have been larger. He made a total of 21 saves on the night.<\/p>\n

The Raiders had three chances on the power play in the first period, but couldn\u2019t get one past Garteig. Quinnipiac did a great job getting in shooting lanes and blocking shots. The Bobcats had the best chance in the first and celebrated as if they had scored. However, the official waved off the play and his call was upheld after a review.<\/p>\n

Quinnipiac had an 8-5 shot advantage even with Colgate\u2019s three power plays. The Bobcats came into the game with the second-ranked penalty kill in the nation at 90.5 percent.<\/p>\n

Spink broke the ice with\u00a010:46\u00a0left in the second with a great wrist shot from the slot. He was able to gain control of the puck behind the net. Spink then circled around in front of Garteig and fired a well-placed wrister through traffic to give Colgate the 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n

The Bobcats evened it up on the power play just\u00a01:37\u00a0after the Raiders took the lead. Devon Toews spotted Matthew Peca with a cross-ice pass. Peca connected with a\u00a0 one-timer from the right circle and Connor Jones tipped it in past Finn to tie the score.<\/p>\n

Still in the second, Colgate had a great chance to regain the lead with a five-minute power play. The best chance came on a 3-on-1 for the Raiders as Quinnipiac was caught up ice. John Lidgett broke into the zone and flipped a pass over to Freeman on the doorstep. He redirected the pass, but Garteig sprawled out across the crease. He got a piece of the shot with the paddle of his stick to keep it a tie game going into the third.<\/p>\n

The third period started with another Quinnipiac power play, but the Raiders were able to kill it off to keep the game tied.<\/p>\n

Spink then gave the Raiders the lead in the third period with his second of the night. He picked up a blocked clearing pass in front of Garteig. He waited out the Quinnipiac netminder and made his make the first move. He went down and Spink shot it over the pad for the 2-1 lead.<\/p>\n

Murphy\u2019s empty net goal completed the weekend sweep with a 3-1 win as he took the shot from the redline. Quinnipiac outshot the Raiders, 32-24, and went 1-for-4 on the power play. Colgate failed to score on the power play in four chances.<\/p>\n

The Raiders close out the regular season next weekend with Harvard and Dartmouth coming to Hamilton. Colgate will honor its two seniors prior to the game against the Big Green\u00a0on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Walsh Nets Five at Lafayette<\/strong><\/p>\n

Junior\u2019s Seven-Point Game Not Enough as Raiders Drop Patriot Opener at Lafayette, 8-7<\/p>\n

\u00a0By John Painter<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

(Easton, Pa. \u2013 Feb. 22, 2014) Colgate\u2019s early-season bugaboo finally bit the Raiders when it counted.<\/p>\n

Colgate couldn\u2019t overcome 10 first-half turnovers and dropped an 8-7 thriller to Lafayette in the Patriot League opener for both teams.<\/p>\n

Trailing 5-1 at the break, the Raiders nearly came all the way back behind a career-tying performance from Ryan Walsh. The junior attackman scored five second-half goals and assisted on Colgate\u2019s two other scores, but the rally fell just shy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve talked about it all year long and in that first half we had 10 turnovers,\u201d Raiders head coach Mike Murphy said. \u201cThat\u2019s 34 turnovers in six quarters of lacrosse (24 last week vs. Vermont), and you can\u2019t come on the road against a really good team and expect to hand out extra opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd give Lafayette all the credit. They deserved the victory, their kids played great and their goalie was fantastic. They did a great job of taking advantage of our mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Leopards in contrast to Colgate received exactly one goal from eight different scorers. They did, however, string them together in a four-goal opening period. Lafayette grabbed a 4-1 lead in sudden style, scoring twice in the last six seconds of the quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose can be back-breakers because you never know when those goals are going to come back to haunt you,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cWe\u2019ve just got to be more of a disciplined team. We were very undisciplined today, and when you play a really good team like Lafayette then you see what can happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were coming off a tough loss to Stony Brook and they were ready for us. They played great in the first half and did everything they could to hang on for a great victory for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Natural Hat Trick<\/p>\n

Lafayette made it 5-1 by halftime and it was still 6-2 past the midway point of the third quarter when Walsh finally found his scoring eye. The attackman scored at\u00a07:00,\u00a04:18 and 3:35\u00a0\u2013 a natural hat trick within less than a 3\u00bd-minute span \u2013 to narrow the deficit to 6-5.<\/p>\n

It was Walsh\u2019s 15th career hat trick and second of the season, and also marked his nation\u2019s best 34th consecutive game with a goal. But he wasn\u2019t done yet.<\/p>\n

Jason Sands scored for Lafayette with\u00a010:46\u00a0left in the fourth quarter to make it a 7-5 game, but Walsh answered 90 second later. John Floyd scored for the Leopards with\u00a05:34\u00a0remaining, but Walsh again found the range \u2013 this time with\u00a02:57\u00a0showing.<\/p>\n

Lafayette was trying to milk the clock and Colgate trying to convert. The Raiders had chances down the stretch but couldn\u2019t connect, and the Raiders\u2019 eight-game winning streak over Lafayette was over.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur team needed some big goals so I tried to help us out,\u201d Walsh said. \u201cI came up short there at the end and missed the last one, but what are you going to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe dug ourselves a hole. Patriot League games are always a battle. We didn\u2019t come out ready to play \u2013 even in the second half we didn\u2019t play our best, so we\u2019ve just got to go back to the drawing board. It\u2019s not a secret what we have to do to get better: limit the turnovers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgate narrowed its miscues to just four in the second half, but still had 14 overall to match Lafayette\u2019s total. Shots were 34-28 in Colgate\u2019s favor, as were ground balls by a 26-18 spread.<\/p>\n

Another\u00a0Showing for Kinnealey<\/p>\n

Faceoff specialist Alex Kinnealey continued his sparking play by winning 14-of-18. He\u2019s claimed 35-of-48 for the season. But Lafayette\u2019s Jake Hyatt was just as big in goal, saving 15 of Colgate\u2019s 22 on-target attempts. Brandon Burke made 10 saves for the Raiders.<\/p>\n

In addition to Kinnealey\u2019s nine ground balls, Colgate\u2019s Matt Clarkson had four to go with two caused turnovers. Leo Stouros and Bobby Lawrence picked up three ground balls apiece.<\/p>\n

Walsh previously scored five goals during his first Colgate season against Binghamton, and\u00a0Saturday\u00a0was his third seven-point game. His assists came on goals by Will Mette to open the game and by Kevin Adams to open the second half. It was the second goal this year for Mette and the fourth for Adams.<\/p>\n

Snow cover at Fisher Stadium forced a venue change to Rappolt Field and its old-style artificial surface. Murphy, however, said that had no bearing on the game\u2019s outcome.<\/p>\n

“You\u2019ve got to be mentally strong,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you\u2019re a player and you let something like that affect you, then you\u2019re not the type of player I want in our program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is what it is; you\u2019ve got to play. My hope is that our guys would play in a phone booth if they had to, or in a field with a goal and some lines. I\u2019m not concerned with where we played or with the field. It was a beautiful day in Pennsylvania and the sun was shining. Guys should be excited to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgate is now 2-1 and Lafayette 1-1. The Raiders continue their Patriot League schedule\u00a0next Saturday\u00a0when Bucknell visits Andy Kerr Stadium for a\u00a01 p.m.\u00a0start.<\/p>\n

\"ColgateK3759\"<\/a>Alison Flood tallied two goals and one assist in Colgate’s home opener against Hofstra\u00a0Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Bob Cornell)<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Berglin Stops 13 in Home Opener<\/strong>
\nWomen\u2019s Lax Edged by Hofstra; Ark & Flood Tally Three Points<\/p>\n

(Hamilton, NY \u2013 Feb. 22, 2014) Junior goalie Jennie Berglin kept the Raiders within a goal for most of the game with 13 saves, but Hofstra snuck by with a 10-8 win\u00a0on Saturday\u00a0afternoon.<\/p>\n

Colgate (0-2) was led on the offensive side of the field by Megan Ark and Alison Flood. The pair of midfielders had two goals and an assist for three points. Sarah Bowles was able to record her first collegiate goal in the first half. Berglin pushed aside 13 shots with eight coming in the second half.<\/p>\n

Hofstra (2-1) got hat tricks from Sam Lenox and Emily Considine, while Kelsey Gregerson pushed aside nine shots in her second win of the season.<\/p>\n

The two teams played a tight first half with Hofstra earning a slim 6-5 lead after 30 minutes. They traded goals until Hofstra gained the first two-goal lead of the game at 6-4 with a free-position goal from Alexandra Mezzanotte with 6 minutes left in the half. Colgate was able to cut the lead to one with Monica White scoring with a nice feed from Kallan Murray.<\/p>\n

Flood got the scoring started with a nice individual effort. She won the draw and went straight down field and gave Colgate a 1-0 lead just 14 seconds into the game. The Raiders had a pair of one-goal leads early in the game with scores from Ark and Lauren Gorejak. Sarah Bowles scored her first collegiate goal with\u00a011:26\u00a0remaining with an assist from Ark that tied the game at 4-4.<\/p>\n

The second half was a low-scoring affair with the Pride scoring three of the final four goals down the stretch to earn the 10-8 win.<\/p>\n

Taylor Fischer and Flood were able to tie the game twice in the second half. Fischer\u2019s came\u00a01:44\u00a0into the final frame with Flood assisting to tie the game at 6-6. After the Pride regained the lead at 7-6, Flood tallied her second of the game with\u00a011:35\u00a0left in the game to knot the game again. She picked up a ground ball in front of Gregerson and put it into the net as she fell to the turf.<\/p>\n

Hofstra got back-to-back goals from Considine and Lenox to open a two-goal lead at 9-7 with\u00a09:44\u00a0remaining. Ark was able to cut the lead to one at 9-8, but Mezzanotte put the game out of reach with her second coming with\u00a05:25remaining in the game.
\nColgate is back in action\u00a0on Tuesday\u00a0afternoon at\u00a04 p.m.\u00a0as the Raiders travel to Canisius. The Raiders host Drexel at home\u00a0next Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Butler Did It!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Buzzer Bank Shot Lifts Colgate Past Loyola in Overtime, 67-65<\/p>\n

By John Painter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

(Baltimore \u2013 Feb. 23, 2014)\u00a0 Randyll Butler was furious with herself.<\/p>\n

The sophomore guard had stepped to the free-throw line in overtime, her team trailing by four, and missed both ends of a two-shot opportunity. Colgate\u2019s prospects were bleak, and Butler blamed herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach tells us all the time that free throws win games,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s how we won the game against Army. So when I missed those free throws, I was just so upset with myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there was still time and we couldn\u2019t give up. We just had to keep fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n

So Butler took matters into her own hands, scoring Colgate\u2019s final six points inside the last minute of overtime to lift the Raiders to a stunning 67-65 victory over Loyola.<\/p>\n

The Raiders ended the game on an 8-0 run, and Butler capped Colgate\u2019s comeback with a 15-foot bank shot from that same infuriating free throw stripe just as the final horn was sounding.<\/p>\n

\u201cLauryn gave me the handoff and kept it from being stolen,\u201d Butler said. \u201cShe gave me a nice pass and I just went for it. I had a nice look and it went in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Officials reviewed the video replay, but there was no question it would stand and the Raiders had their first overtime victory of the Nicci Hays Fort coaching era. Colgate also won consecutive Patriot League games for the first time since Hays Fort\u2019s debut season of 2011-12.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great, gutty win,\u201d Colgate\u2019s head coach beamed. \u201cWe\u2019ve said all along that we wanted to be playing our best basketball at the end, and we\u2019re playing a heck of a lot better now than we were in January.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colgate with the triumph climbed past Loyola into ninth place in the Patriot League standings. The Raiders improved to 7-20 overall and 3-13 in conference, and they still have a chance to catch Lehigh for eighth place. Loyola fell to 5-22 and 2-14.<\/p>\n

Contributions from Several<\/p>\n

Butler led the Raiders in both scoring and rebounding, finishing with 13 and 11 to post her second career double-double. Both figures were collegiate highs for the Chicago sophomore.<\/p>\n

No other Colgate player reached twin figures, but Kelly Reid and Catherine Lewis both scored nine, Carole Harris, Missy Repoli and Josie Stockill eight apiece and Mariah Jones added seven.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had good games from a lot of people,\u201d Hays Fort said. \u201cKelly had a big nine points and six rebounds; Carole didn\u2019t have her best offensive game, but she had nine rebounds, eight points and a big layup in overtime; Missy and C-Lew hit huge threes; Mariah scored seven in a row in the second half; Josie had eight points in 15 minutes; Lauryn Kobiela played almost the entire game and guarded their best player nearly the whole time, which is a tough matchup.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe entire bench was in it; the entire team was in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

There were two buzzer-beaters in this game, actually, as Loyola\u2019s Lauren Daugherty swished a rainbow 3-pointer at the end of regulation to tie it at 58-all. That stunner completed the home team\u2019s rally from 15 points down in the second half and handed the Greyhounds all the momentum heading into overtime.<\/p>\n

Loyola took advantage and immediately scored the extra session\u2019s first five points. Harris finally ended Colgate\u2019s drought, but Daugherty answered and the Greyhounds led 65-59 with possession and only 1:40 remaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey had just hit that three and had all the momentum,\u201d Hays Fort said. \u201cIt took us awhile to regroup, plus we were missing two of our starters (Reid and Jones had fouled out in regulation). We just needed to calm down and we would be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

The game swung for the last time when Harris forced a steal and went the distance to cut it to four. Loyola\u2019s Nai Brown \u2013 the game\u2019s leading scorer with 14 \u2013 missed twice in the paint and Jackie Hudepohl grabbed the rebound. Butler at the other end drove for a layup with 59 seconds to play that sliced the lead to 65-63.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the spark we needed,\u201d Butler said of the Harris steal. \u201cThey had the momentum in overtime and we really needed something in our favor. Once Carole made that play, we were like, \u2018OK, let\u2019s go.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Defensive OT Pressure<\/p>\n

Colgate forced another of its four overtime turnovers and Butler again drove to the hoop and scored to tie it at 65 with 32 ticks left. Loyola had a chance for the final shot but Butler forced a backcourt violation by Lisa Mirarchi, and Colgate would get the last at bat with 19 seconds left.<\/p>\n

The Raiders called timeout.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted us to get the absolute last shot,\u201d Hays Fort said. \u201cWe did not want to give them any time to get a shot off. If it went to another overtime that would have been OK because we didn\u2019t have any foul trouble on the floor and they did.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kept going at Brown because she had four fouls. She was matched up with Randyll, but she couldn\u2019t stop her because she didn\u2019t want to pick up that fifth foul.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the inbounds, Kobiela wound the clock inside 10 seconds from the top of the key and then drove to her left. She fought off a steal attempt by Brown and handed off to Butler, who this time found just enough space at the free-throw line for a final shot attempt.<\/p>\n

The ball banked off the glass just as the buzzer was sounding, setting off a Colgate celebration not seen in Maroon women\u2019s basketball circles since last year\u2019s Patriot League Tournament stunner at Army.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, my gosh, when she hit that bank shot it looked like we had won the NCAA championship the way we were jumping around,\u201d said Reid, who fouled out with 58 seconds left in regulation and 14 seconds after Jones notched her fifth personal. \u201cIt was frustrating not being able to play and we were freaking out on the bench, but it was great to come out on top.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-Half Display<\/p>\n

Colgate owned the first half after an 11-0 run over a six-minute span pushed the Raiders in front 19-8. It was 31-22 at intermission as Butler already had seven rebounds.<\/p>\n

The lead increased to 41-26 with 11:58 remaining before Loyola finally made its move. A 13-3 Greyhounds sprint cut it to 44-39 with 8:01 showing, and it was nip-and-tuck from there. Jones was scoreless until she tallied seven straight Raider points and the lead was back to 53-46 with 2:41 left.<\/p>\n

Colgate kept the advantage and when Repoli was perfect on a pair of free throws with six seconds to play, the 58-55 margin appeared safe. But Mirarchi raced up court and found Daugherty, who lofted a perfect arc from the top of the key that found nothing but net.<\/p>\n

Butler, however, made sure her buzzer-beater was the final gold star in a terrific basketball game.<\/p>\n

The Raiders shot 34.3 percent (23-of-67) from the floor, including 5-of-12 from downtown. Colgate was 16-of-26 at the line and had 12 assists against 14 turnovers. Loyola shot 37.1 percent (23-of-62) from the field, including 4-of-15 from the arc. The Greyhounds were 15-of-21 at the line and had 13 assists against 19 turnovers.<\/p>\n

Colgate claimed the rebounding edge for the second game in a row, 47-43.<\/p>\n

Loyola\u2019s Brown added 10 boards to her 14 points, while Diana Logan scored 13 and Mirarchi 10.<\/p>\n

Colgate plays Wednesday at Lafayette in a 7 p.m. start, and then the Raiders host Senior Day Saturday against Lehigh at 4 p.m.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Raiders Flank Army Again, 71-60 Third Win in Last Four over Black Knights as Jones Scores 23, Harris Posts Double-Double By John Painter (Hamilton, NY \u2013 Feb. 19, 2014) \u00a0It\u2019s hardly ho-hum, but Colgate keeps finding ways to beat Army. The Raiders did it again here\u00a0Wednesday, clipping the Cadets 71-60 to make it three wins […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53791\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}