Volleyball Runs Through MMA, Tufts, Bates to Reach 18th Straight Win
The Colby Volleyball team took care of Maine Maritime (3-0), Tufts (3-2), and Bates (3-0) to move to 19-1 and remain undefeated in NESCAC play.
A week after taking down Middlebury in a showdown of the NESCAC's unbeatens (a 3-0 sweep), the Mules eyed another battle for first place in the conference. Coming in with a 6-1 conference record, a win over Colby would have put the Jumbos in a tie with the Mules for first and the tiebreaker falling in favor of Tufts. Taking five sets and separated by a mere four total points (25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 20-25, 15-0), Colby outlasted their hosts to hold their claim to the top spot in the standings.
The Mules were stellar on the block, collecting a season-high 33 total blocks in the match. Cyanne Jones and Alexa Peguero tallied 10 and eight respectively. Jordan Lee and Gabby Grujic connected for three aces apiece.
In Saturday's matinee in Lewiston, Colby dominated from start to finish taking the match in straight sets (25-9, 25-17, 25-15).
Brady Moseley continued her stellar play for Colby. The 2023 NESCAC First Team selection averaged 12.5 kills and 16 digs per match. In Friday night's contest with the Jumbos, Moseley added two blocks and a key ace, and in Saturday's three-set sweep of the Bobcats, the sophomore hit 0.407 with only two errors on 27 total attacks.
Colby will take a break from the NESCAC schedule to participate in the Wesleyan Invitational. The 23rd-ranked Mules will face #20 Ithaca Friday night and #1 Juniata Saturday before returning to conference play the following weekend.
Men's Soccer Delivers on Senior Day
Despite being on the wrong side of five one-goal NESCAC matches this season entering the week, Colby's offense exploded for 10 goals across two games, including Saturday's 5-1 win over Trinity on Senior Day.
The Mules opened the week with their final non-conference match Monday at Maine Maritime. Behind two goals and an assist by junior Jason Wallack, Colby made quick work of the Mariners for a 5-1 win. Colby finishes their 2024 non-conference schedule a perfect 5-0.
Against the Bantams on Saturday, Colin Leon and Ryan Stewart put the Mules ahead early before Trinity worked one back to go into the break 2-1. In the second half, Mario Simoes celebrated his Senior Day with his third hat trick of his career, striking for a trio of goals all within a 10-minute span.
With the victory over Trinity, Colby keeps its playoff hopes alive. The Mules head to Wesleyan Saturday before returning home the following Tuesday for the regular season finale against Bates. Both teams sit just above Colby in the NESCAC standings.
With A Ferocious Comeback, Field Hockey Takes Out Trinity
Entering their fifth and final double-header weekend of the season, the Mules eyed the visiting Bantams as a must win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
With goals by both teams plentiful Saturday, the Mules and Bantams traded blows all afternoon in a thriller that went down to the wire. Trinity scored two first half goals only to be answered by the hosts with tallies from Molly Mitchell and Catherine McNulty to head into the break knotted 2-2.
Trinity jumped back ahead in the third and again in the fourth only to have their lead spoiled both times by Lily Harrington. The junior tied the game at three midway through the third frame, and then erased Colby's deficit once again with four minutes to play in the fourth. No strangers to overtime matches (Colby defeated Bowdoin in 2OT and Amherst in one OT period earlier this season), the Mules decided to finish this one in regulation as Bridget Everett connected for her sixth of the season to give Colby fans and families plenty to cheer for on Senior Day.
In each of the last three seasons, four conference wins would be good enough for a playoff bid. In search of that ever-important fourth victory, Colby takes its 3-5 conference record on the road Saturday at Wesleyan before returning home for the regular season finale the following Tuesday against Bates.
Football Wallops Amherst for Largest Margin of Victory in Series
Despite the last three contests between the Mules and Mammoths being decided by an average of less than four points (all Colby wins), this latest edition in the series shattered all preconceived notions of what to expect Saturday afternoon on Mayflower Hill. Amherst was no match for the Mules as Colby took a 24-0 lead into halftime and cruised to a 38-7 victory.
The opening quarter looked more like a stalemate as the only points collected were a trio for Colby off the foot of Christos Tzoumakas midway through the frame. Three trips to the end zone in the second quarter on consecutive drives (Declan McNamara 1-yard run, Atticus Duncan 2-yard reception from Miles Drake, Brendan Sawyer 46-yard pass from Drake) left Colby fans ecstatic and the visitors looking for answers into the third.
Colby would add to their lead with two more second half scores, and Amherst found the end zone one lonely time. Up until Amherst's singular scoring drive in the fourth quarter, the Mules out-gained the Mammoths 314 yards to a mere 47, and Colby's defense had only allowed three first downs. In the end, the Mules not only led in key statistical categories, but did so in a big way. Colby collected 21 first downs in the contest compared to nine for Amherst and outgained the Mammoths 372 to 131. Colby did not allow Amherst to convert a single 3rd down attempt all game.
Julian Young led Colby defensively with 10 total tackles and Sebastien Romain continued his strong season from the linebacker position with 1.5 sacks. Jack Mullen, the NESCAC leader in sacks, added another to his total giving him 7.5 after six games. Offensively Drake kept the chains moving for the Mules. The quarterback connected on almost 70% of his 28 pass attempts, covering a season-high 236 yards and completing touchdown strikes to four different receivers. Keon Smart led the team in all-purpose yards and ranks second in the conference with 114.8/game.
Colby is set to embark on its longest road trip of the season next weekend when they head to Clinton, N.Y. to take on the Continentals of Hamilton College (0-6).
Women's Soccer Draws Trinity in Lone Match of the Week
Following a 0-0 draw to #7 Middlebury in Vermont last week, the Mules tied their competition once again hosting Trinity on Saturday.
The first half of play was a defensive battle leading to a 0-0 deadlock at the half. The Bantams opened up the second half strong finding the back of net just two minutes into the frame. Colby had plenty of time to respond, which is just what they did when Elo Luczkow approached a free kick in the 67th minute. From just outside the 18, the sophomore placed the strike beautifully into the bottom left corner of the goal to tie the game at one all (her third goal of the season). Despite holding the advantage in shots on goal, Colby could not get another past the Trinity keeper resulting in another conference tie.
The 8-3-2 Mules (3-3-2 in conference, good for 6th place) have two conference games remaining (Wesleyan and Bates) to decide the post-season seeding in a competitive NESCAC pool.
Crew Competes in the Historic Head of the Charles Regatta
In the second of three competitions this fall, the Colby Men’s and Women’s Crew teams traveled to Cambridge, Mass. for the Head of Charles Regatta. Since its inception in 1965, this event has attracted hundreds of thousands of rowers each year and is the world’s largest multi-day rowing event.
The Men’s club eight kicked off the event for the Mules on Saturday finishing right in the middle of the pack (16th of 32 teams) in their race. The Men’s and Women’s collegiate eights competed the following day with the Men up first, taking home a 33rd place finish of 42 total shells. The women’s boat wrapped up the event for Colby after crossing the finish line in 24th out of 34 shells.
Colby Crew will complete the 2024 fall season this Saturday hosting the Fall CBB Regatta at the Colby-Hume Center on Messalonskee Lake in Sidney. For the first time this event will be streamed. Fans can follow video coverage by clicking the "WATCH" tab on the schedule page.
The Mules Travel for Conn. College Invite
The Colby College Men's and Women's Cross Country teams headed to Harkness Park Saturday for an invite hosted by Conn. College. The Mules were joined by 35 plus teams for a big race weekend.
As a group in the championship blue races the men took 12th of the 35 teams while the women placed 16th out of 37 squads. In the women's race Catherine Mongan led the way placing 35th of 277 individual athletes. Claire Beebe was able to finish inside the top-100 with a 90th place finish. On the men's side of competition, Chris Gould tallied Colby's best result of the day all around with a 27th place finish among the 269 competitors. Henry Reichle and Danny Reyes placed neck in neck landing in 71st and 72nd respectively while Gordon Doore finished just inside the top-100 in 98th.
Colby Cross Country will now prepare for the NESCAC Championships hosted by Bowdoin on November 2nd in Brunswick.
Special thank you to the photographers who helped make this production possible: Bonnie Baker Photography, Steve Cheney P25, Stephen R. Clouthier, Ashley Conti, Traigh DeMasi '28, Jamie Fiedorek '25, Colin Flood '26, Steve Fuller @flyingpoint, Peter Li '26, Michael Maher, Reese Robinson '27, Ellie Sawyer P25, Isadora Wells '26, Ansley White '26, and the Colby Communications team.