Women's Basketball Wins Three Straight, Takes Down #13 Babson
Colby took on three opponents this week with the first stop in Cambridge, Mass. to battle the MIT Engineers, then returned home to host the Colby Tip Off Tournament.
Against MIT, the Mules got off to a hot start taking the first quarter with a commanding 26-13 lead as the Engineers went on a five minute scoring drought. Although MIT brought it within four late in the game, Colby did not let up and went on to take the win 70-63. Kate Olenik (headline photo) tallied a career-high 22 points and eight rebounds to go along with three steals and two blocks. Ana Von Rumohr and Amelia Hanscom, both coming off the bench, combined for 25 points and eight boards.
In their opening matchup Saturday in the Margaret M. Crook Center, the Mules took a dominating 62-37 win over New England College after a huge 34-13 halftime lead. Olenik once again led the way with 16 points adding five rebounds and three steals. Chelsea Ibenegbu also scored in double-digits connecting for 10 points and six rebounds.
After topping the Pilgrims, Colby moved on to the tournament championship game going up against #13 Babson College, who just defeated Thomas 88-24 the previous day. Lydia Mordarski had the hot hand out of the gate netting four three’s in the opening half to help the Mules build a 10 point halftime advantage. Colby’s well fortified defensive presence persisted in the second half as they went on to take the victory 74-58. As a team, five Mules scored in the double digits led by Mordarski with 17 followed by three first-years: Kate Olenik (13), Amelia Hanscom (13), and Ana Von Rumohr (12). Chelsea Ibenegbu rounded out the quintet with 11. Olenik was named tournament MVP after totaling 29 points, seven boards, five steals, four assists, and two blocks across the set.
Colby Women’s Basketball is now 4-1 on the season and will face Thomas Tuesday night at 5:00pm.
Doore Represents Colby at NCAA Championships
Gordon Doore qualified as an individual competitor at the NCAA Championships hosted by Dickinson College. The junior finished as the 23rd NESCAC Athlete, placing 183 in the field of almost 300, nearly 100 places ahead of his finish in the same event a year ago.
I am so proud of Gordon! He worked really hard in every aspect of our team this year and it was wonderful to see a payoff for him. - Jared Beers '01, Head Men's and Women's Cross Country coach
The fall cross country season is now complete, and athletes will shift their focus to the winter indoor and spring outdoor seasons.
Football Goes Toe-to-Toe with NESCAC Champions
The Colby Football team faced a Middlebury squad Saturday who had everything on the line. A Panther victory and they would hoist the NESCAC trophy as 2023 champions. A Panther defeat and the crown belonged to Trinity.
Celebrating senior day, the Mules came out of the gate intent on ringing the bell and making Middlebury's trip home feel a touch longer. For the second week in a row Colby had a drive extended due to a muffed punt return. This time it was on their second drive of the game, and quarterback Thomas Keeling connected with Jack Sawyer for a 30-yard touchdown on the very next play.
Middlebury evened the score early in the second quarter, but Colby answered right back as Keon Smart took a Keeling screen pass the distance for a 69-yard score. Smart has three scores on the season of 69 yards or longer.
The Panthers tied the game right before half after pinning the Mules at the one yard line after a downed punt. Keeling couldn't handle the snap on the ensuing play and Middlebury covered in the end zone to send the game to halftime 14-14.
Middlebury scored three times in the third quarter, appearing to run away down the stretch, but two more Keeling passes found the end zone to bring the Mules within seven with two minutes to play. Sawyer and Smart each collected their second scores of the day, and a final Colby drive ran out of time at the Middlebury 44-yard line.
Keeling's 54 pass attempts set a new Colby record, topping the 53 attempts Nick Kmetz tallied in 2010 against Tufts. His 362 passing yards and four touchdowns were career-highs. Smart had 11 receptions for 142 yards to go along with his two scores, and Sawyer came in just under the century mark with five receptions for 99 yards. Julian Young was remarkable again on defense, tallying 11 tackles, two for loss, and forcing and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter. Young finished the season as the NESCAC leader in tackles with 94, marking the second consecutive season he averaged more than 10 stops per game.
Colby ends the season with a 3-6 record, good for 7th in the NESCAC.
Moseley Named to All-NESCAC Team
Colby first-year Brady Moseley was named to the All-NESCAC second team for her strong performance as an outside hitter while helping the Mules secure the two seed for the conference tournament. She is one of only three first-years in the NESCAC to be named to the All-Conference team. Moseley played in 80 sets during the 2023 campaign (the third most on the team) while contributing 232 kills for a 2.90 kills per set average, the seventh best average in the NESCAC. Not only was she eminent on the attack, but on the defensive end she added 219 digs, the second most on the team.
Men's Ice Hockey Ties Middlebury, Tops Williams in Opening Weekend
The Men's Ice Hockey team opened the 2023-24 campaign hosting Middlebury and Williams this past weekend.
For fans waiting all year to hear the siren sound in the O'Neil | O'Donnell Forum, Friday night was not the night. The Mules and Panthers skated to a 0-0 tie after one overtime, sending both squads away still looking for their first victory of the year. The two goaltenders combined for 51 saves, with Colby netminder Andy Beran securing 27, including fighting off eight attempts in the five-minute overtime.
Saturday's matchup with the Ephs produced much different results, as Henry Molson scored only five minutes into play. Colby would tally three more throughout the contest, with Will Molson scoring late in the first period, Jayden Grier providing the eventual game-winner in the second, and James Tepper adding an empty-netter late in the third. Colby earned their first victory by a final score of 4-2.
Colby starts the season 1-0-1, good for second place in the NESCAC.
Women’s Squash Defeats Northeastern, Men’s Squash Takes Down MIT
Friday night, both squash teams opened up their season taking down their opponents with 6-3 scorelines.
Winners for the women’s team against the Huskies include Laavanya Kugan, Aileen Dominguez, India Spencer, Karla Domingues, Mehak Dey-Kohil and Elizabeth Barroso all taking their victories 3-0.
On the men’s side of competition the six match winners against the Engineers include Inwoo Lee, Seif Ashraf, Jonathan Sosa, Carlos Zendejas, Sebastian Campos and Avery Rosenberg.
Both teams will have time to rest up before facing Trinity on Mayflower Hill December 2nd.
Swimming & Diving Takes on Three NESCAC Opponents in Busy Opening Weekend
After facing Amherst in Mass. where the Colby Women fell 178.5 to 114.5 and the Colby Men 166 to 122, the Mules were able to find victories the next day in Clinton, N.Y. by defeating not one, but two opponents (Hamilton, Trinity). The men topped both opponents in dominant fashion, beating the Bantams 240-57 and the Continentals 171-116. The women earned a split, defeating Trinity 185-114 and narrowly losing to Hamilton 163-136.
Men’s event winners against Trinity and Hamilton:
- Brandon Xiong, Brian Brogan, Ethan Chang and Allen Zhu - 200 Medley Relay
- Skylar Yoham - 200 Freestyle & 400 IM
- Nathaniel Chon - 500 & 1000 Freestyle
- Xiong - 50 Backstroke
- Spencer Cohen - 100 Backstroke
- Max LaRoche - 100 Breaststroke
- Tate Weltzin - 1M & 3M Dive
Women’s Event Winners against Trinity and Hamilton:
- Sarah Michael, Kellen Mottl, Lexi Asch and Lily Moy - 200 Medley Relay
- Moy - 50 Freestyle
- Alex Mayo - 200 Freestyle
- Michael - 100 Backstroke
- Mottl - 50 & 100 Breaststroke
- Avery Rappaport - 1M Dive
- Eleanor McGrath - 3M Dive
The Mules will now prepare to host the Maine Collegiate Invite on December 1st and 2nd.
Men’s Basketball Competes in Lafrance Hospitality Classic
Despite falling to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) 79-70 in the opening game, the Mules bounced back and defeated hosts UMass Dartmouth 80-74 in the consolation round of the tournament.
Colby played the Blue Jays tough Friday night, resulting in 10 lead changes and twelve tied scores, but Saint Joseph was able to pull away in the end for a nine point win. Max Poulton led the way with 16 points as Lucas Green and Jack Lawson contributed 14 apiece.
The matchup with the Corsairs Saturday also resulted in a close game with the Mules down two at the halftime break. Colby came back out for the second half going on a nine point run which eventually turned into a 14 point lead, cruising to an 80-74 Mules win. Poulton led the offense once again with a season high 27 points and eight rebounds with Lawson right behind scoring 25 points (also a season high) and 12 rebounds.
Colby Men’s Basketball sits at 2-2 on the season and will head across town to Thomas Tuesday night at 7:30pm.
Special thank you to the photographers who helped make this production possible: Bonnie Baker Photography, Cole Burkhart '24, Steve Cheney P25, Stephen R. Clouthier, Ashley Conti, Jamie Fiedorek '25, Colin Flood '26, Steve Fuller @flyingpoint, Michael Garrett P23, Andrew Hearns P24, Peter Li '26, Michael Maher, Joshua McKee, Dustin Satloff '15, Ellie Sawyer P25, Bill Stevenson P24, Isadora Wells '26, Ansley White '26