HAMILTON, N.Y. - The Marist women's soccer team was defeated for the first time in the 2012 season on the road at Colgate by a score of 3-1. Facing off with the defending Patriot League regular season champion Colgate Raiders, the Red Foxes' difficult task loomed tougher as the team was forced to play a man-down over the final 60 minutes of play on Sunday. A strong effort by Marist was punctuated by senior Chelsea Botta's (East Longmeadow, Mass.) goal in the 84^th minute, marking her third consecutive game with a goal.

The Raiders controlled the early portion of the game as they registered the first four shots of the game. Sophomore goalie Andrea Wicks (East Northport, N.Y.) came through with one save, while senior defender Jessica Arabia (Naperville, Ill.) was credited with a save on a second shot on goal as she cleared the ball from the goal-line.

Colgate went up a goal in the 24^th minute when they converted a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box.

The face of the game changed in the 31^st minute when Wicks was assessed a red card as the referee deemed that she fouled Colgate's forward while the Raider was unabated to the goal.

Playing a man-down, Marist would have its back against the wall with zero room for error over the final 60 minutes.

Unfazed, the Red Foxes would register three of the next five shots before the end of the half. This run would cut Colgate's advantage in shots to 10-5 at halftime.

In the second half, Marist played much more comfortable in its man-down alignment and controlled a large majority of the offensive pressure. Unfortunately, Colgate would convert two straight goals in the 72^nd and 74^th minutes to quell any chances of the Red Foxes possibly tying the game up.

Finally, on its fifth shot on goal, Marist would break through onto the scoreboard when senior Caitlin Landsman (Burke, Va.) served a free kick in from near the midfield line into the box where a charging Botta controlled the ball and beat the Raider goalkeeper to her left. This was the senior's third goal of the season and Landsman's second career assist as a goalie.

The Red Foxes nearly cut the deficit to one when a pair of slick passes found its way to the foot of senior Jackie Frey (Monroe, N.Y.), who barely missed the net with a shot in the 88^th minute.

After ninety minutes of gutty, hard-fought action, the game went final at 3-1 in favor of the host Raiders.

As a team, Marist was outshot 18-12 and 9-6 in shots on goal. With the combined efforts of Wicks and Landsman, the Red Foxes made six saves in comparison to five for Colgate's two keepers.

The Red Foxes will be off from competition for a week until they meet up with Fordham, next Sunday, Sept. 2 in a 1 p.m. contest in Bronx, N.Y.