Colgate Sweeps Niagara

Boxscore

HAMILTON, N.Y. -- The Colgate University women's hockey team posted a 3-0 shutout over Niagara University, securing a two-game sweep of the Purple Eagles to conclude first semester play.  

This is the first time Colgate has posted a sweep over Niagara in a series since the 2003-04 season, when the Raiders took two games in late January at Starr Rink.  

Colgate took a 2-0 lead in the first period, scoring two power-play goals.  

Freshman Jessi Waters (San Jose, Calif.) put the Raiders on the scoreboard at 5:58 with her first collegiate goal. Senior Kara Leene (Waterbury, Vt.) had the puck on the left flank and fed it into the slot to Waters who tipped the puck over the goal line to lit the lamp. Senior Mallory Johnston (Chatham, Ont.) was credited with the second assist on the goal.  

Leene scored a goal of her own at 18:39, converting on Colgate's fourth power-play opportunity. Waters found Leene open on the left side of the net and Leene buried the puck behind goaltender Jill Zelonis to give the Raiders the 2-0 edge.  

Freshman Hannah Milan (Great Barrington, Mass.) gave Colgate a 3-0 lead with unassisted goal in the second period. Milan broke up the puck at the blueline and skated in and beat Zelonis one-on-one at 17:11.  

Freshman goaltender Lisa Plenderleith (Ajax, Ont.) earned the game's first star after making 36 total saves for her first career shutout. A highlight of her play came six minutes into the final frame, Niagara found a loose puck and skated in on Plenderleith. The skater sent a centering pass inside the slot to a teammate but Plenderleith read the pass and made a kick save to keep the slate clean. The Raiders picked up back-to-back penalties, 14 seconds apart, just over eight minutes into the third. Plenderleith made 10 saves during the 5x3 that lasted 1:46. With 11 minutes remaining she made a terrific stop on the near side and a Colgate defender was able to clear the puck out of the paint to prevent any damage.  

Colgate went 2-for-8 on the power play and was 10-for-10 on the penalty kill including killing off two 5x3 incidents during the contest.  

Zelonis made 27 saves as Niagara falls to 5-8-2 on the season. Colgate improves to 6-8-2 overall and will take a three-week break for finals and the holidays. The Raiders return to the ice on Jan. 4-5 when they travel to Dartmouth and Harvard.