MULE WEEKLY RECAP

Sweeps of Hamilton, Amherst Highlight Five-Win Week for Softball

Jumping into NFCA's top-25 at number 19, the Colby Softball team looked to keep momentum going. The Mules entered the week with a 14-3 record and two victories against ranked opponents under their belts.

In a midweek pair with #20 Husson, Colby earned their third win of the season against a ranked opponent in game 1 when Emma Burnham's single brought home Kat Xiong in the bottom of the eight. The Eagles won game 2 to earn the split despite Colby owning the advantage in hits (8 hits to 4). Carissa Cassidy led all players with three hits.

The Mules proved ready for NESCAC play this weekend, sweeping Hamilton on Saturday and Amherst on Sunday. Caroline DeSimone hit a home run in each game against the Continentals, and Cassidy and Avery Lyman collected three-hit games against the Mammoths. Victoria Ramirez collected a hit in all six games this week. Colby pitching has been stellar all season, leading the conference with a 1.94 ERA. This week Sophia Meade made four appearances in the circle collecting three wins and a save. The sophomore is currently 6-1 with three saves.

Colby is now 19-4 and is one of only three teams with just one conference loss in the NESCAC standings. The Mules will host Williams Saturday and Middlebury Sunday, both 7-1 in NESCAC games, for what is sure to be a pivotal weekend.

Mules Ride Rioux's Gem and Pair of Walk-Offs to Sweep of Bates

Colby's Baseball team entered the weekend series against Bates with eyes on a series win. The Bobcats were sitting atop the NESCAC East with a 16-3 record that earned them a top-25 national ranking.

Colby got everything they needed from Thomas Rioux in Friday's opener in Lewiston, and then some. The senior hurler threw a complete game 9-inning gem on 117 pitches, scattering five hits and saving the rest of Colby's arms for Saturday's twin bill. Offense was plentiful in the 9-1 win, as eight different Mules collected a hit.

One walk off win for the Mules Saturday in Waterville would be great, but how about two? Tied 2-2 in extra innings of game 1, Will Burns opened the bottom of the tenth with his first home run of the season to give the Mules the win and a chance at a series sweep. Matt Higgins and Matt Mahoney split the game from the mound, holding the Bobcat bats at bay.

Bates came alive in game 2, leading from the get-go and building a 10-4 lead by the sixth inning. The Mules kept grinding and scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to set up the potential for a thrilling seventh inning. Burns pushed across the tying run and Jeb Burkhart followed with the winning single, completing the sweep and pair of walk-off victories.

The Mules leaped to the top of the NESCAC EAST and are now 16-8 with Trinity (16-7) set to visit Mayflower Hill this coming weekend.

Track & Field Heats Up with NESCAC Championships Two Weeks Out

Colby's Track & Field teams continued their ascent towards the beginning of the championship season just two weeks away. Splitting squads to Tufts (Distance) and Saint Joseph's (Sprints, Hurdles, Jumps), the Mules amassed a whopping 25 top-10 finishes, including three event winners.

TOP-10 RESULTS (Tufts):

• 2nd - Stephen White, Men's 5000m
• 4th - Henry Reichle, Men's 1500m
• 4th - Ada Grant, Women's 5000m
• 5th - Marianne Spyra, Women's Steeplechase
• 5th - Danny Reyes, Men's 5000m
• 6th - Eli Ziegler, Men's 1500m

MEN'S TOP-10 RESULTS (Saint Joseph's):

• 1st - Milan Joshi, 110 Hurdles
• 1st - Logan Lehnert, Pole Vault
• 2nd - Ernest Obiorah, Discuss
• 3rd - Alex Lyon, Pole Vault
• 5th - Samuel Gerrie, 100m
• 6th - Joshi, Triple Jump
• 7th - Ben Bognon, 110 Hurdles
• 7th - Gerrie, Long Jump
• 8th - Lyon, 110 Hurdles
• 9th - Jake Hall, 100m
• 9th - Obiorah, Shot Put

WOMEN'S TOP-10 RESULTS (Saint Joseph's):

• 1st - Gabriella Bresnick, Pole Vault
• 5th - Delaney Meagher, High Jump
• 5th - Ariel Estime, Triple Jump
• 6th - Sarah Lenox, 100 Hurdles
• 7th - Lenox, High Jump
• 7th - Estime, Long Jump
• 8th - Lenox, Long Jump
• 9th - Meagher, 200m

One more weekend to hit qualification marks remains ahead before the best in the NESCAC convene at Williams for the conference championships April 25-26.

Burke’s Late Goal Lifts Colby Over Bowdoin, Falls to #1 Panthers

Women’s Lacrosse split a high-intensity week of conference play. The Mules secured a pivotal 13-12 victory over rival Bowdoin on Wednesday before falling 14-5 on the road to top-ranked and undefeated Middlebury on Saturday.

Wednesday’s home matchup against Bowdoin was a classic rivalry battle. After jumping out to an early 8-2 lead, the Mules had to weather a furious Polar Bear rally that saw Bowdoin take a 9-8 lead into the final frame. Colby responded with a 5-1 surge to reclaim control, highlighted by Emily Counihan’s hat trick and Ainsley Burke’s decisive man-up goal with under three minutes remaining. Gisele Uva was dominant at the center circle, winning a game-high nine draw controls to keep the Mules in possession. Uva also contributed three caused turnovers and two ground balls. Corinna Kapalka led the way with five points in the game (2G, 3A). Goalkeeper Brynna Hall stood tall in the closing seconds, making a game-preserving save to secure the 13-12 victory. On Saturday, the Mules traveled to Vermont to face No. 1 Middlebury. While the Panthers’ early offensive pressure created a significant gap, the Mules refused to back down, finishing the game on a high note by outscoring Division III’s top team 4-1 in the fourth quarter. Zoey Verbesey was a key contributor to the late-game offensive rhythm scoring three straight, and the Mules' defensive unit showed improved discipline as the match progressed. Despite the 14-5 final, Colby's strong finish against the undefeated Panthers provided a positive takeaway heading into the final stretch of the season.

Women’s Lacrosse (7-5) will close out the regular season schedule this week with an important three-game slate starting with Bates Wednesday night. 

Mules Battle the Elements in Successful Dual at Coast Guard

Colby Crew traveled to New London, Connecticut, on Saturday for a dual against the Coast Guard Academy on the Thames River. Facing a 10-15 mph headwind and a challenging upstream course, the Men’s team completed a dominant four-boat sweep, while the Women’s team secured victories in two of their three varsity matchups.

The Men’s side remained undefeated on the spring season with a clinical performance across the board. The First Varsity Eight set the tone with an 18-second win (6:17.8), followed by a 23-second margin from the Second Varsity Eight and a 17-second victory from the Third Varsity Eight. The Fourth Varsity Eight delivered the largest gap of the day, out-pacing the Bears by 51 seconds. All four boats established early leads and maintained their technical composure despite the heavy headwind and outgoing tide. On the Women's side, the Mules proved their depth by taking two out of three races against the Bears. The Second Varsity Eight claimed a 12-second victory with a time of 7:59.9, and the Third Varsity Eight was exceptionally dominant, finishing 50 seconds ahead of their opponents. In the First Varsity Eight race, Colby pushed Coast Guard for the full length of the course, finishing just seven seconds back in a tightly contested battle. Both programs leave the Thames having handled the difficult river conditions exceptionally well as they head into a busy mid-April schedule.

Crew will head to Worcester, Massachusetts, next weekend. The Men will race Trinity, WPI, Marietta, and Ithaca for the Remley Cup, while the Women compete against Clark, Connecticut College, Trinity, and WPI.

Mules Battle Nationally Ranked NESCAC Foes

Men’s Lacrosse dropped a pair of contests this week to conference heavyweights, falling 19-12 to #2 Bowdoin on Wednesday and 16-9 to #18 Middlebury on Saturday. Despite the losses, the Mules displayed significant resilience, highlighted by a dominant fourth-quarter surge in Brunswick and an aggressive offensive attack at home.

Against the Polar Bears, Eli Chilicki set the tone early with a goal just one minute into the match and finished the night with five points (3G, 2A). While Bowdoin controlled the middle frames, the Mules owned the fourth quarter, outscoring their rivals 7-2 in a furious comeback attempt. Joey Hagerty added a hat trick, and Easton Bello contributed two late goals to close the gap. Will Heisler was a standout in the cage, recording 15 saves, including eight in a massive third-quarter defensive stand. On Saturday, the Mules returned home to face the Panthers. After a slow start left them trailing at the half, Colby found its rhythm in the third quarter, outshooting the Panthers 12-7 and winning the period 4-2. However, the early deficit was too much for the Mules to overcome. In the contest, Colby outshot Middlebury 36-32 and led the battle for ground balls 28-22. Chilicki continued his consistent presence on the offensive end leading the team with three points (2G, 1A).

Men’s Lacrosse (4-8 overall) will look to bounce back as they close out the regular season this week hosting Bates Wednesday night and Trinity Saturday.