The Colgate Raiders tried to put last weekend’s losses behind them when they hosted their first pair of home games against the Providence Friars and UConn Huskies last week, but the Raiders could not get the elusive first win they were hoping for.

In the home opener last Friday, the Raiders took on unranked Providence. The Friars struck halfway through the first period when senior forward Cherie Hendrickson snuck a one- timer past first-year phenom Lisa Plenderleith. The lead did not stand for long, as sophomore forward Nicole McDonald deflected a shot by classmate Evan Minnick past Friars’ goalie Danielle Ciarletta at 13:21 for Colgate’s first goal of the year to tie the game at one. The remainder of the first period would end without another score. A mere 47 seconds into the second period, Colgate first-year Hannah Milan recorded her first career point on an unassisted shorthanded goal, giving Colgate its first lead of the year. However, the 2-1 lead did not last very long. With a little under five minutes remaining in the second period, Providence’s Alyse Ruff fired a shot that went wide of the goal. Unfortunately, the puck caromed off the boards and back onto Ruff’s stick. Ruff then put the puck past Plenderleith for her first collegiate goal. The Raiders answered back at 19:13 when junior defender Laura Jansen notched her first collegiate point by passing the puck to Minnick, who snuck it through Ciarletta’s five-hole for Colgate’s second lead of the night.

The Friars came out on all cylinders in the third when senior defender Kathleen Smith fired a wrister past Plenderleith a mere seven seconds into the period to tie the score at three. Junior forward Katy Beach and defender Brittney Simpson, none of whom had a goal coming in, also scored for the Friars over the next seven-and-a-half minutes. Head Coach Scott Wiley called a timeout after the Simpson goal to try and regroup the team. The timeout worked, as Colgate recharged and refreshed following the minute-long respite. Colgate fought back, getting a power play goal by junior co-captain Elin Brown at 9:15. A little over six minutes later junior defender Kiira Dosdall set up the game-tying goal when she passed the puck to sophomore forward Ali Edell at the point, who then gunned a slap shot that went over Ciarletta’s shoulder at 15:25. Although both teams had excellent chances throughout the rest of the game to score the winning goal, neither offense could break through the brick walls.

The second game of the weekend pitted the Raiders and the eighth-ranked University of Connecticut Huskies last Saturday afternoon. UConn struck early when senior co-captain Jaclyn Hawkins sent a centering pass to sophomore forward Dominique Thibault, who skated in and rifled a shot over the right shoulder of junior goaltender Elayna Hamashuk at 2:40. The Huskies would strike again at 11:02, as senior defender Liz Gallinaro centered the puck to sophomore forward Amy Hollstein, who proceeded to lift it over Hamashuk. The Hollstein score would be the last goal that Hamashuk would allow, as she morphed into a cement wall for the remainder of the game.

Despite getting off 25 shots, the Raiders were only able to net one goal. In the third period, first-year forward Lisa Watters shot the puck at UConn sophomore goalie Jennie Bellonio. The netminder made the save, but senior forward Kara Leene tapped the puck in for a power play goal at 9:31 to cut the deficit in half. Colgate’s best chance to tie the game occurred after it went on the power play with 5:10 to go in the game, but the Raiders could not convert. However, the Raiders should not be disappointed, as they played a good game against a great team.

The Raiders will now travel to Erie, Pennsylvania on Friday for a two-day doubleheader against third-ranked Mercyhurst College.