In a weekend of record-breaking firsts, the Colgate women’s hockey team swept two games from the Union Dutchwomen by a combined score of 12-2. In Friday’s game, the Raiders came out strong, peppering Union goalie Dana Smullyman with shots in the first period. Although Colgate out-shot Union, 14-2, in the period, neither team was able to muster a goal, keeping the game deadlocked heading into the second. The Raiders were held scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the second period until senior co-captain Cheryl Setchell lit the lamp at the 14:12 mark. First-year Kate Wolgemuth and sophomore Tara French assisted on the goal. Less than two minutes later, first-year Kara Leene scored on the power-play, giving the Raiders a 2-0 lead. Carrying the two-goal lead into the final stanza, the Raiders unleashed their offense on the 0-16-0 Dutchwomen. Seven seconds into the period, senior Maura Kehoe netted her fifth goal of the season, and four minutes later senior Amanda Barre scored off of passes from junior linemates Allison Paiano and Becky Irvine. After giving up a goal at 14:58 of the final period, first-year defender Mallory Johnston added the Raiders’ final tally, her third goal of the season, giving the Raiders a 5-1 win. Colgate out-shot the Dutchwomen by an overwhelming 34-5 margin.In the second game of the weekend, the Raiders continued their strong start, putting 16 shots on net in the opening period. However, this time the Raiders managed to put a few in the back of the net, jumping out to a 4-0 lead, thanks to goals from Barre, Paiano, first-year Cassie Reid and sophomore Alix Warren. Warren’s goal, at 17:04 of the period, was the defenseman’s first tally of the season. Irvine single-handedly continued the onslaught in the second period. The junior tallied two goals, one on the power-play, to give the Raiders a 6-1 lead heading into the third period. The third period was one of firsts for the Raiders. Senior Kristy MacDonald registered her first goal of the season, taking a pass from Kehoe and scoring a shorthanded goal at 16:45. Junior goaltender Melanie Barclay saw her first action of the season when she relieved senior Rebecca Lahar in net for the final 14 minutes of the game, recording one save in the process. With Barclay finishing the game in net, the game ended in a 7-1 victory for Colgate. “It’s always good to get four league points on the road,” head coach Scott Wiley said. “We made sure we took care of business.”The weekend was particularly significant for French and Barre. French set the school record for points (16) and assists (14) by a defenseman in a single season. “Tara continues to set the bar higher for defensemen,” Wiley explained. “For her to hold that record is great.”Also during the weekend, Barre scored her eighth power-play goal of the season, a new school record.Wiley also had praise for MacDonald and Warren, each of whom notched their first goal of the season over the weekend. “It’s always good to get the first goal,” Wiley noted. “Both girls were able to catch a bounce. Neither is looked at as a goal scorer, and so it is fun to see them get their firsts.”Barclay, who had not appeared in a single game this season, was able to get in the action as well. “Our goalies earn their ice time,” Wiley said about his third-string goaltender, who appeared in one game last season. “Mel showed us that she deserved to play on Saturday.”The Raiders, unbeaten in their last five games, head into their final two home games of the season tied for fifth place in the ECACHL with Brown and Princeton. The Raiders face off tonight against Clarkson, who sits in eighth place in the conference, six points behind Colgate. The Raiders defeated the Golden Knights, who upset Brown last weekend, 3-2 on January 28. Tomorrow afternoon the Raiders host fifth-ranked St. Lawrence, a team that is currently third in the ECACHL. The Saints defeated Colgate, 4-1, in Canton on January 29, but Wiley believes this time will be different. “We know we can compete,” he said. “If we play well, we are confident that we have a good chance to win. We are looking to win both games and head into the playoffs with momentum.”Points are critical this weekend. We control our own destiny.”