DeSmet's 29 Saves Not Enough in Loss to #5 Colgate
The Orange entered the 2023 calendar year with a 7-13-1 record and resumed their season with a matchup against in-state rival and #5 ranked Colgate. The Raiders came into this matchup with an impressive 17-2-1 record, with two wins in the new year against RPI and Union. These extra two games showed how fresh and prepared the Raiders were in this matchup against an out-of-conference opponent in Syracuse.
Both teams had a decent jump from the opening puck drop, with Colgate testing Syracuse goaltender Arielle DeSmet early. The graduate student from Charlotte, VT was making her presence known from the start, showing great positioning at the top of her crease and being able to cut of the angles on most of Colgate’s goal scoring opportunities. However, the Raiders found a breakthrough from Senior defenseman Allyson Simpson found the back of the net at 8:02 in the 1st period. That would be the only tally of the period, as Colgate outshot The Orange 8-6 after the first twenty minutes of play.
Colgate would respond with two more goals later in the 2nd period, both coming off of the stick of Junior forward Dara Greig. Her first came off of a great individual effort from Kristyna Kaltounkova. Syracuse would respond at 16:35 in the period thanks to Erin Brousseau who notched her third of the season with assists from Madison Primeau and Hannah Johnson.
The two-goal lead is the most dangerous lead in hockey, yet the #5 ranked Raiders were “cooler than the other side of the pillow” as the late, great Stuart Scott would say. Colgate added two more tallies from Sophomore defenseman Gwen Eichfeld and Junior forward Kassy Betinol (who now has goals in four straight games). The Orange would find another goal on the Powerplay thanks to Sarah Marchand, but it would not be enough as Colgate leave Tennity Ice Pavilion with a 5-2 victory. Arielle DeSmet ends the contest with 29 saves and Colgate netminder Hannah Murphy collects 15 saves of her own.
The Orange return to the ice next Tuesday (1/17) back at Tennity as they take on another in-state rival, the #9 ranked Cornell Big Red (9-5-2). Puck drop is scheduled for 6pm EST.