MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – A few more minutes on the clock may have been all that was needed, but No. 5 Colgate's valiant comeback effort ran out of time in a 3-2 decision at No. 4 Minnesota in the NCAA Women's Hockey Regional Final on Saturday afternoon inside Ridder Arena. 

Colgate trailed 3-0 after two periods but made the Golden Gophers fight for every inch down the stretch. Elyssa Biederman scored on the power play two minutes into the third, and then Avery Pickering's third goal of the season cut the deficit to 3-2 midway through the final frame. 

The Raiders outshot Minnesota 13-9 in the final 20 minutes, and even earned a pair of late chances after pulling Hannah Murphy for the extra attacker in the waning minutes. Minnesota's defense did just enough, however, holding off the surging Raiders down the stretch to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. 

COACH DECOSSE'S COMMENTS

"There was fight in this group to the very end. That certainly characterized our season in many ways. We have a team of exceptional folks who have high character and they don't give up until that final buzzer. I'm just really proud of the way that we were intentional Monday through Saturday, starting in late August to now, of maximizing the potential of this group. That's always the objective for Colgate Women's Hockey and we came fairly close to that."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Minnesota came out fast and furious, peppering Murphy early and scoring the game's first goal six minutes into the game when Abbey Murphy found the back of the net on the power play. The Raiders tilted the ice back in their favor throughout the period but trailed 1-0 at the first intermission.
• The Golden Gophers once again capitalized on the power play — and again it was Abbey Murphy who doubled their lead five minutes into the second period. Sydney Morrow added a third for the home team with a wrister from the point, and Minnesota led 3-0 after two periods.
• Colgate had everything to play for in the third – and it played like it. Emma Pais from the goal line fed Biederman in front, who took a couple whacks and sifted the puck past the Minnesota netminder for Colgate's first goal less than three minutes into the term.
• The Raiders put Minnesota on its heels when Pickering evaded a scrum in front of the net and wristed a low shot past the Gophers' net minder who never saw it coming – and suddenly it was a one-goal game with exactly 9:00 remaining.
• Minnesota's goalie Hannah Clark made 24 saves in the game and none were bigger than the flurry of Raider shots that came with the one-goal margin. The Raiders continued to snatch momentum and pulled Murphy for the extra attacker, but the final horn sounded with Colgate's valiant comeback effort falling just short, 3-2.