Syracuse Falls to #5 Colgate

The Orange women's hockey team started 2023 with a loss.

Winter break is over, and the Syracuse Women’s Ice Hockey team was looking to get back into the win column when it faced Colgate on Tuesday.

After ending the 2022 portion of their season with two tightly contested losses against the thirteen ranked Vermont, the Orange face the fifth ranked Colgate Raiders with the chance to avenge their 3-0 loss back on September 24th. While

The first period got off to a hot start with the Orange and Raiders trading shots on goal, and both goalies making clutch saves.

Roughly eight minutes into the first period, though, Colegate Defensemen Allyson Simpson got the first goal of the game, which put the Raiders up 1-0.

Syracuse would do everything in their power to try and keep up with the Raiders line of attack, but struggled to get a shot on goal in the first period, being outshot 6-12.

Even with a four on four game with Raiders forward Kristýna Kaltounkováa interference penalty after the Orange roughing penalty on Madison Primeau with roughly five minutes left in the first period, it would not lead to a goal.

Going into the second period, the Orange would be aggressive in Colegate’s zone, but would only accumulate only three shots on goal for the period. One of the shots was a goal by Erin Brousseau with roughly three minutes left in the period to get the Onage on the board.

Colegate, however, continued to push away scoring two goals in the middle of the second period, both by Dara Greig to keep their lead. Syracuse would have two powerplay chances in the second period, but both would come out empty handed to go into the third period trailing Colegate 3-1.

The third period was when Colegate pushed ahead with goals by Gwen Eichfeld five minutes in and Kas Betinol around eight minutes pushed the Raiders ahead by four halfway through the period. A goal by Sarah Marchand 11 minutes in gave the Orange a fighting chance, but it was too little, too late as the Orange fell to Colegate 5-2

While this was a tough match, the Orange did an amazing job in keeping the game close for much of the contest, due in large part to goalie Arielle DeSmet and the defensemen on the team. Head Coach Britni Smith was very impressed with the overall improvements shown in this game compared to their first meeting.

“Limiting their scoring chances, I thought we did a better job this game than our first game of the season. And just getting into those prime scoring areas offensively,” Smith said.

The Orange will be back at the Tennity Ice Pavilion, as they look to get back on track when they face off against Cornell, starting at 6p.m.