Waterville, Maine - The Colby Mules played at home this weekend against the visiting Middlebury Panthers. The Mule's ended with a 2-1 victory over Middlebury. The win brings Colby to 6-5-1 and Middlebury to 8-3-1 for the season. 

Colby was the first team to get a shot on goal in the first half. In the eighth minute of play Aboubacar Traore, a junior defenseman put a shot on net that was saved by the Middlebury keeper. Two shots from the Panthers followed in the 12th and 13th minutes, both saved by sophomore keeper Jared Mcnair. Mcnair playing in his third game of the season, had a save rate of 87% in the match, securing the ultimate victory for the Mules. Following the two shots, the teams played aggressively and matched equally against each other. In the 26th minute Ethan Franco took his first shot of the game, but the Middlebury keeper saved the ball. In the next minute, Middlebury took a shot, and scored. The goal brought the box score to 0-1 with the Panthers in the lead. The intensity only picked up after the goal. Colby Mules had multiple blocked shots in the next few minutes, following two separate corner kicks. The first half ended in a heated battle with the Panthers pressing down on Colby's defensive line. Multiple shots were taken from Middlebury, but every one denied by Mcnair. The half ended with a score of 0-1 Mules down. 

In the second half spectators saw the same aggression and intensity from the two highly ranked teams. The Colby players came out with a mission, and soon were able to even the score. In the 16th minute, Mario Simoes scored his fourth goal of the season with an assist from Ethan Franco. The box score was now at 1-1 for a tie game. Shots from Simoes, and Collin Sullivan followed soon after the goal, but were saved by Middlebury keeper. In the 27th minute, the score changed again. After a foul was called against the Middlebury keeper, Colby lined up for an indirect penalty kick from within the Panther's 18yrd box. Assisted by Paul Hawkins, Ethan Franco was able to score his seventh goal of the season. The goal brought the box score to 2-1 with the Mule's in the lead. The goal agitated the Panthers, and the aggression continued from both teams. In the last few minutes of the game, Mcnair made three more great saves, keeping the Mule's in the lead. The game ended with a final box score of 2-1 with a senior night victory for the Mule's. 

Colby plays again on Sunday at home against Wesleyan at 2:00pm.