NEW LONDON, Conn.—Mairead Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y.) poured in a game-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Connecticut College women's basketball team to a 69-63 victory against a talented Colby College squad in a late season NESCAC match up played at Luce Field House Friday night.

Hynes was 7-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 from the foul line. Sophomore Payton Ouimette (Medfield, Mass.) chipped in with 13 points and 13 rebounds en route to a double-double. Senior Willa McKinley (Westport, N.Y.) contributed with 12 points and five rebounds while junior Liz Malman (Mendham, N.J.) reached double figures with 11 points and three assists.

The Camels improved their record to 17-5 and are 6-3 in conference play. They can clinch home court advantage for the upcoming 2016 NESCAC Championship with a win against Bowdoin College Saturday.

The Mules (13-10, 5-4) have clinched a NESCAC berth as well.

Senior Carylanne Wolfington (Hallowell, Maine) netted a team-best 14 points to go with four rebounds for the visitors. MaryKate Caverly (Point Pleasant, N.J.) and Mia Diplock (Vienna, Maine) scored 11 points each for the Mules. Diplock had six rebounds while Caverly finished with four. Haley Driscoll (Bedford, N.H.) chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds, shooting 5-for-8 from the field.  Emily Davis (Sudbury, Mass.) finished with nine points and four rebounds in the loss.

Diplock and Davis scored seven points each in the opening half to vault the visitors out to a 29-27 advantage at the break. But in the third quarter, the Camels put together a 10-to-0 run to take control of the contest. A nice pick and pop play sparked the rally as Kylie Caouette (Ashburnham, Mass.) dialed long distance with Ouimette's assistance.  Malman followed with a runner and Ouimette put back an offensive board before Hynes capped the rally with a jumper to make it a 41-33 game with 4:30 remaining.

But the Mules kept it to a four point 47-43 game after three quarters of action. In the fourth quarter, Hynes pushed the lead back to eight when she put back an offensive board with 8:50 to go. However, the Mules would not go away and Caverly knocked down a clutch three from the center of the arc with 3:42 to go before Wolfington banked one in with 2:18 to go to trim the deficit to 60-58.

But McKinley knocked down a key three from the baseline with 1:56 remaining and Ouimette put back an offensive board with 1:01 left to make it a 65-58 game. The Camels were able to hang on for the 69-63 win.

Both teams will play at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow in their regular season finales. Colby visits Wesleyan for game in Middletown while the Camels host Bowdoin College right here in New London.