HAMILTON - Ari Bezanson's brace powered Colgate on Sunday afternoon to its first home win this season. The Raiders downed UAlbany 4-1 at Beyer-Small '76 Field.

Colgate outshot the Great Danes by a staggering 28-7 including 18 shots on goal.

Alli Popham made two saves in the winning performance.

COACH HOKANSON'S COMMENTS

"Getting back into that gave us some good things, I liked the way we looked in both of them but once we got the lead it was important that we had the numbers back there.. 

[On Ellie Stokes goal] I think I was just as shocked as she was that it went in off her head. It was a tough finish, we had nine shots in the first half that were easier than that one. That's kind of the story of our sport I feel like. It was relief, there was tons of relief. It has been a little while since we scored so good discipline from her to stay there and get her head on it. I think it helped calm us down a little bit, maybe too much obviously to concede, but she has done a lot of good things so it's nice for her to get rewarded with that."

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the 61st minute, the Raiders finally broke the deadlock. Paige Foa held up the ball, spraying it out wide to Olivia Anderson. Anderson took two touches and curled a ball into the UAlbany six-yard box where Ellie Stokes rose above her defender and looped a header into the bottom right corner.

UAlbany responded six minutes later with a shot from the right edge of the box finding the top left corner.

Ari Bezanson picked off an UAlbany pass just inside the Great Dane half and took it all the way to the inside of the UAlbany box. Shifting the ball to her left foot, fired a low shot into the bottom right corner putting the Raiders back in front.

Bezanson wasn't done there, in the 77th minute, Gillian Yonce slid a pass into the path of Bezanson on the right side of the net. The junior used a cheeky flick to waltz past the keeper and calmly slide the ball into the open net.

Just three minutes later, Jordan Juetten played Demi Maroudas in behind the UAlbany backline. Maroudas took two touches and tidily nestled the ball into the bottom corner, giving the Raiders a 4-1 lead.

Colgate continued to pressure the Great Danes, in the 58th minute, Sophie Wand received a Paige Foa pass on top of the 18-yard box but fired the shot high. Moments later, Bianca Howitt curled an effort towards the right corner but the Great Dane keeper made another acrobatic save.

Just under five minutes into the second half, Ava McCloskey slid a through ball into the path of Ari Bezanson. Bezanson rounded the keeper and saw an open goal but was unable to wrap her left foot around it as it struck the left post, going out for goal kick.

The Raiders started the match on the front foot as Ari Bezanson found herself one-on-one with the UAlbany goalkeeper but her chipped effort went just over the net. Moments later, Bezanson spun her defender and struck the ball towards the left corner but the UAlbany keeper made an acrobatic save.

In the 15th minute, Sophie Wand controlled a pass from Ava McCloskey 20 yards out and fired a strike on target, however the UAlbany goalkeeper again was equal to it claiming another save.

Paige Foa had an effort on goal corralled by the UAlbany keeper in the 30th minute. Foa received the ball with her back turned to goal 20 yards away, Foa was able to swivel to her right and fire a shot on goal.

The game was scoreless at half with the Raiders outshooting UAlbany 13-4 at the half.

UP NEXT
The Raiders (2-6-1) open up Patriot League play on Saturday, Sept. 21 against Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.