No. 4 Colgate University swept UVM women’s hockey at Gutterson Fieldhouse Oct. 9 and 10, dealing the Catamounts their first losses of the season. 

On Friday, the Raiders shut out Vermont and prevailed 3-0. On Saturday, Colgate scored five times on 18 shots in a 5-1 victory. Colgate improves to 6-0-0, while Vermont falls to 2-2-0.

Friday: Osborne stifles Catamounts in shutout

Both teams had scoring chances in the first period Oct. 9, but effective goaltending from UVM’s senior goaltender Blanka Škodová and Colgate goaltender Kayle Osborne kept the game scoreless that period. Both made saves in the span of 10 seconds with six minutes to play in the period. 

Colgate opened the scoring on the power play just under eight minutes into the second period, applying more pressure to UVM. 

Colgate defender Sydney Bard found forward Sammy Smigliani in the faceoff circle to Škodová’s right. Smigliani’s slapshot beat Škodová to give the Raiders the lead.

Colgate doubled their lead 48 seconds later. Forward Danielle Serdachny scored from close range following a backhand pass from forward Kalty Kaltounkova.

Both team’s offenses stayed quiet in the third period. Osborne handled the attempts the Catamounts managed to put on the net, making 18 saves, keeping the shutout. 

Škodová went to the bench so UVM could add an extra attacker with two minutes left and forward Dara Greig scored into the empty net with 1:20 remaining to seal the Raiders’ victory.

Saturday: Two goals in 20 seconds power Colgate to victory

On Oct. 10, both teams started slow before generating attacking chances in the second half of the first period.

Colgate scored within the last seven minutes of the first half. Serdachny fed a pass into the low slot where defender Allyson Simpson finished past Škodová to give the Raiders the lead.

The lead lasted just 68 seconds. Graduate forward Kristina Shanahan, a captain, collected the puck and fired a wrist shot past Osborne for Vermont’s first goal of the weekend.

The Raiders regained the lead with 2:08 remaining in the first period. Škodová got a piece of Bard’s shot from the high slot but couldn’t keep it out. UVM outshot Colgate 11-5 in the period but went to the locker room trailing behind Colgate.

Kaltounkova skated in on goal and scored to make it 3-1 with 9:32 to go in the second period. Raiders struck again 20 seconds later. Forward Eleri Mackay scored from a tight angle to further extend the Raiders’ lead, breaking open what had largely been an even game until then.

Colgate added to their lead late in the third period when Serdachny deflected a pass from Bard into the net. Serdachny had four points across the two games while Bard had three.

On Friday, the empty-net goal inflated the final score and on Saturday UVM outshot the Raiders 23-18. 

However, a few untimely mistakes were enough for Colgate to gain separation and skate to two comfortable victories. In both games the Catamounts conceded two goals less than a minute apart.

UVM failed to capitalize on their best chances: their power play finished the weekend 0 for 8.

“Our team has high expectations and in order for us to meet them, we are simply going to have to finish better,” Vermont head coach Jim Plumer said.

The Catamounts have a week off before opening conference play on Oct. 22 at home against College of the Holy Cross.