POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam women's hockey team (9-14-3) scored twice in the final 3:48, but fell to SUNY Cortland (15-8-3) 3-2 in the NEWHL Semifinals on Saturday afternoon. Senior captain Rylie Murray (Berkley, Mich./Honeybaked) and junior forward Miranda Kolb (Watertown, N.Y./SUNY Cortland) each scored for the Bears.
 
Potsdam had the first great chance of the contest. Sophomore forward Emily Burke (San Jose, Calif./San Jose Jr. Sharks) broke free on the right wing side. She made a move that fooled Red Dragons sophomore goalie Chelsea Allain (Saratoga, N.Y./Canterbury School), but fired just wide right of the post. Seconds later at 1:36, Red Dragons junior forward Allyson Edwards (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Regals) scored on a screened shot from the right corner. The goal fired up Cortland and they kept the Bears on their heels the rest of the period. Junior assistant captain Alexa Pfeiffer (Sylvania, Ohio/Little Caesar's) made nine stops in the first, but Potsdam trailed 1-0.
 
Cortland started the second period with the first power play of the game and made the most of it. Junior captain Emily King (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Regals) knocked home a loose puck at the 1:50 mark for a 2-0 advantage. Pfeiffer stopped two breakaway opportunities in the next seven minutes and the Red Dragons also rang a post. The Red Dragons went on their second man advantage at 11:16 and King struck again. After Cortland won a faceoff in the zone, freshman forward Quinn Metcalfe (Churchville, N.Y./Rochester Monarchs) fired from the slot and Pfeiffer made the save. However, the puck kept rolling and King drove it home at 11:24. Sophomore goalie Samantha White (Oceanside, Calif./Anaheim Lady Ducks) replaced Pfeiffer for the rest of the contest after the goal. Potsdam dominated the remainder of the period, put had near miss after near miss and strong goaltending from Allain to frustrate them. The Bears finished with a 19-7 advantage in shots but still trailed by three after 40 minutes.
 
Cortland got into penalty trouble in the third period, giving Potsdam three power plays, and let the Bears back into the game. The Red Dragons killed the first two opportunities, but Murray scored from the left point on a shot that Allain never saw to make it 3-1 with 3:48 to play. Junior defenseman Delphine Léonard (Anjou, Quebec/Dawson College Prep) and Kolb each assisted on the goal. Potsdam kept coming after the marker and just 1:09 later, Kolb knocked the puck in from the left side of the net to get the Bears within one. Sophomore forward Natalie Wasielewski (Carnegie, Pa./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite) and Murray picked up the assists. Potsdam pulled white for an extra attacker with 1:38 to play and continued to press, but wasn't able to tie the game.
 
Allain made 33 saves for the win. Pfeiffer stopped 13 shots and allowed three goals in the first 31:24. White stopped all 11 shots she faced in 26:45.
 
Cortland advances to play at top-seeded Plattsburgh State next Saturday.
 
The contest marks the end of the careers of seniors Murray and assistant captain Tatum Walber (Orchard Park, N.Y./Buffalo Regals). Murray played in 99 games for Potsdam, scoring 10 goals and recording 23 assists for the Bears. She ranks 15th on the program's scoring list. Walber played in 101 games, fourth most in program history, and collected 11 points on two goals and nine assists.