The women’s Ice Hockey team suffered their first loss of the season in their second game against Merrimack, after beating them the night before.  The first night’s score was 4-3, but the Raiders lost the following night.  Their overall record is currently 4-1-1.

First-year forward Bailey Larson scored a goal in the second game against Merrimack, bumping up her total goals for the season to two.  Larson said that the main difference between the first and second game was how they started.

“We came out in the first game a little too relaxed, so coming into the second game, we tried to be more focused with a quicker start,” Larson said.

Junior Meghan Brennan finished the second game with two shots and one assist.  Brennan said that part of the reason the team struggled was due to their lack of putting in the full 60 minutes together during both of the contests.

“When we were at our best, we dominated Merrimack and had tons of offensive opportunities,” Brennan said.  “In the end, Merrimack had great goaltending and we learned that we have to play consistent throughout the entire game in order to ensure the win.”

Larson said that although the team played hard for parts of the game, they weren’t always in that mindset from the drop of the puck until the end.

The Raiders are currently preparing for their first conference game against Union College later this week.  

“We have to focus on our own play versus playing down the level of our opponent,” Brennan said.  “We are really looking forward to ECAC play this weekend.”

The Raiders have a relatively young team this year, and according to Brennan, they all fit nicely within the team dynamic.    

“As a team, we have put in lots of work throughout the off season and first few months back at Colgate, which has resulted in a lot of success so far. The team is young this year, but all of the new players have molded into the team very nicely,” Brennan said.

Both Larson and Brennan mentioned that the team’s biggest strength is its will to win and the players’ belief in each other to get the job done.

“Every game so far, whether we are ahead or behind, we have a hunger for goals and lay everything on the line to win,” Larson said.

In order for the Raiders to be successful in their next few games in ECAC, they will need to stay consistent during the entire contest.  

“We are focusing on the small details, and making sure that we don’t take any shortcuts. Everyone loves being at the rink and pushing each other to be at their best everyday,” Brennan said.

However, because the Raiders have had such a successful season so far, it is crucial they stay on top of their game when it really matters during conference games.  The pressure is definitely on, especially because the team didn’t finish with their expected results last season. Despite their shortcomings last season, both Larson and Brennan are confident in the team’s ability to finish with a winning record.

“I am expecting big things this season. I know that this team can go very far if we are playing our best and trust in each other,” Brennan said.

The Raiders will host Union this coming Friday and RPI this Saturday. Both games will be at Starr Rink starting at 3:00 pm. So far the women’s Hockey team has been playing disciplined hockey and have made it clear to the other teams in the ECAC that they are pursuing the championship title. Since this weekend is also parents’ weekend, I imagine that the team will enjoy a nice crowd at both of their games as well. It will be very interesting to see if the Raiders can continue

their success.