NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team battled hard against No. 7 Colby on Saturday afternoon from Silfen Field, but the Camels fell to the visiting Mules 16-10. Conn falls to 1-2 on the year and 0-2 in NESCAC play, while Colby improves to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in conference action.
Colby started quickly, as the Mules jumped out to a 5-0 advantage just seven and a half minutes in. Conn ended the Colby run with just under four minutes left, as Elizabeth Gill (Hingham, Mass.) found the back of the net to make it 5-1. However, just a minute later, Julia Jardina scored for the Mules, as Colby led 6-1 after one.
Conn opened the second quarter with a 3-0 run, cutting the deficit to 6-4. Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) bookended the run, with Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) scoring the middle tally. Colby responded however, with the final two goals of the frame, as the Mules remained in front 8-4 at the half.
The Camels cut the deficit back down to two, after scoring the first two goals of the second half. Emma Ognibene (New Canaan, Conn.) and Caroline Bruce (Acton, Mass.) scored for Conn. Colby answered again with two straight goals, pushing the advantage to 10-6 with 5:41 to play. With two minutes left in the quarter, Coughlin notched her second of the game, as Conn trailed 10-7 heading to the third.
Colby struck early in the final frame, using a 4-0 run to push the advantage to 14-7 with 5:45 to play in the contest. Bruce and Ognibene went back-to-back for the Camels making it 14-9 with 2:58 left. The Mules added two more goals, before Coughlin completed her hat trick with 1:12 remaining, as Conn fell 16-10.
Colby outshot Conn 39-22, while holding a 16-11 edge on draw controls.
Ava Virga (Watertown, N.Y.) got the start in the cage, finishing with 13 saves. Coughlin paced the Camels attack with four points on three goals and one assist, while Ognibene added two goals and one assist. Gill chipped in one goal and one assist, with both Bruce and Johnston adding two goals. Defensively, Conn forced 10 turnovers, with Sydney Weber (Hanover, Mass.) causing a team high three. Weber added a team-best five ground balls, while Weber and Suzie Smith (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) both controlled two draws.
Jillian Kane picked up the win in goal, finishing with six saves. Jardina paced Colby with four points on three goals and one assist, while five other Mules recorded multi point performances.
Conn returns to action on Wednesday night, as the Camels host Smith College at 6:00 p.m. on Silfen Field.
