Colby wins matchup of ranked women's lacrosse teams

The nationally ranked No. 13 Hamilton College Continentals dropped their first game of the season on Saturday afternoon with a 12-10 NESCAC loss against the No. 8 Colby College Mules at Hamilton's Steuben Field.

Box score

The Mules (1-1, 1-1 NESCAC) scored four straight second-half goals to break an 8-8 tie. Colby’s decisive run marked the first time either team had led by more than two goals. The score was tied six times. Katherine Eddy ’14 scored the game-winning goal, putting Colby up 9-8 with 23:48 left in the second half, then assisted on a goal by Lindsey McKenna ’14 three minutes later to spark the four-goal run.

Eddy finished with six points on a goal and five assists. McKenna, who collected five points, led all players with four goals. McKenna won six draw controls as Colby owned a 15-9 advantage in that statistic.

The Continentals (1-1, 1-1) controlled most of the final 15 minutes, outshooting the visitors 11-0 over that period. The Mules’ last shot came on their final score – a free-position goal by Lindsey McCabe ’15 with 16:56 remaining – and they advanced into Hamilton’s end twice after that goal. Claire Dickson ‘15, who played the second half in goal for Colby, stopped nine shots in the last half of the final period (another Hamilton shot hit the pipe).

Ashleigh Stephan ’15 scored her second goal of the game with 14:16 to go for Hamilton and Caroline McCarthy ’16 added her third goal with 1:04 remaining. The Continentals won the ensuing draw control but were unable to get off a shot on goal.

McCarthy finished with three goals and an assist with Stephan and Emily Brodsky ’14 both contributing two goals and an assist. Katie D’Antonio ’14 scored a pair of goals.

Dickson finished with 13 saves to earn the win. Michelle Burt ’14 stopped four first-half shots.

Colby’s Alex Mintz ’14 notched four goals, including three in the first half. Mintz scored the game’s first two goals and put the Mules up 5-4 after Hamilton had tied the score on goals by D’Antonio and Brodsky. McKenna followed Mintz’s third goal with a score to give the Mules a 4-2 advantage before Hamilton used a 4-0 run to take its biggest lead. D’Antonio and McCarthy scored on consecutive possessions to tie the score, Kathryn Maiorano ’14 added her second goal of the year to give the Continentals their first lead and Stephan followed with the first of her two goals.

Three straight Colby goals put the Mules up 7-6 late in the first half (McKenna scored twice and Eddy picked up two assists) but Brodsky’s goal with 2.2 seconds left sent the teams to intermission tied 7-7.

Margaret Gabriel ’16 led Hamilton with career-best totals of four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Maiorano, McCarthy, Lauren Brady ’14 and Taylor Ryan ’17 picked up two ground balls each.

Hamilton plays its first non-conference game of 2014 at William Smith College on Wednesday, March 12, at 5 p.m. The Mules visit the University of Southern Maine for a 4 p.m. game on Tuesday.