Women's hockey defeated 5–1 by Cornell, overcomes Colgate 7–5

This past weekend, the No. 7 women’s hockey team (10–3–0, 8–3–0 ECAC) split its final conference games in 2019 with a win and a loss. On Friday night, Princeton was defeated by No. 4 Cornell (11–1–1, 7–0–1) 5–1 but turned around the next day and defeated Colgate 7–5 after a third period rally. Sophomore forward Sarah Fillier led the comeback with six points: one goal and five assists. After Saturday’s game, Fillier is the first Tiger to have a five-assist game since Kim Pearce ’07 had six against Cornell in 2005.

Friday’s game against Cornell saw the Big Red work two goals in the first two periods, one in each, before slamming the door shut on Princeton in the third period. In the third, Cornell scored another three goals to take a 5–0 lead with more than ten minutes still to play. Sophomore forward Maggie Connors scored for the Tigers, with assists from senior defenders Claire Thompson and Sylvie Wallin, to end the game 5–1.

Cornell outshot Princeton 30–24, despite the Tigers winning the faceoff battle 38–27. Junior goalie Rachel McQuigge got the start and made 25 saves on 30 shots.

On Saturday, the Tigers played a back and forth game against the Raiders, with Princeton striking first with a goal from Fillier, assisted by Thompson, 56 seconds in to the game. Colgate responded later in the period, but Wallin scored her first goal of the season to give the Tigers a 2–1 lead. The Raiders were able to score once more before the end of the first period to end the game 2–2.

In the second period, Colgate scored first, but senior forward Carly Bullock was able to tie the game assisted by Fillier. With just under 12 minutes elapsed in the second period, the Raiders scored again to take a 4–3 lead that would stand heading into the third period. In the third period, Princeton came out looking like a different team and scored three straight goals to take a 6–4 lead, with two from Connors and one from junior forward Shannon Griffin. Colgate cut the lead to one, but Thompson scored an empty-net goal to secure a Tiger victory with a final score of 7–5.

Before heading home for winter break, Princeton will play two more games against No. 5 Ohio State (10–4–4, 6–3–3 WCHA) in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 p.m. in the City National Arena, the practice facility of the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Before resuming conference play in January at Dartmouth and Harvard, the Tigers will host Saint Anselm (10–4, 8–3 NEWHA) in its last non-conference games of the season.

With all ECAC play done until 2020, Princeton will end the year at the top of the league standings, with 16 points — trailed by Cornell at 15, Harvard at 14, and Clarkson at 12. In the Ivy League, Princeton is in second to last, with 12 points behind leader Harvard and nine points beyond second-place Cornell.