Waterville, Maine - The #17 ranked Colby College Field Hockey team fell to #11 Williams College on Homecoming Weekend by a score of 4-1.  

Colby had been riding a hot streak to start the season, with their only loss prior to today coming in a heartbreaker on the road against #5 Tufts University.  The team has also been ranked in the NFHCA Coaches Poll for the first time since 2003.  Building their second three-game win streak of the season, the Mules entered today's contest looking to make it four in a row.  

Williams came into the contest with equal momentum.  Their lone loss also came against Tufts, but that was back in the season opener and the Ephs had linked together an impressive win streak of their own (eight).  Today marked their ninth.  

The Ephs bolted out of the gate with energy and momentum that the Mules fought hard to keep up with.  After the first quarter, Williams led in penalty corners (4-0) and shots on goal (3-0), yet the score was knotted 0-0.  The second quarter mirrored the first in terms of shot and corner slant, however the Ephs were able to beat the Mule defense and goal keeper Emily Buckman for a pair of goals to take a 2-0 lead into the half.  

The visiting team would add one more in the third and another in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.  Colby was able to put a point on the board in the waning minutes when Lauren Walter scored her fourth of the season on an assist by Delaney Keithley.  Colby's Georgia Cassidy leads the NESCAC in shots and is second in goals, but today was only able to muster two of the former and zero of the latter.  Buckman ranks fourth in the conference in saves and added six more to her total.  

There has been a lot of excitement around this Mule Field Hockey team, and a setback against a powerful opponent will only ensure head coach Kelly Terwilliger's group refocuses and gets back to work.  There are more great days that lie ahead for this 2019 team.  

The Mules are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to the University of New England for a 6:00 PM contest.  

(photo courtesy of Calvin Wetmore '20)