Men’s Lacrosse Falls Short to No. 16 Amherst Despite Resilient Offense

Amherst, Mass. - In a NESCAC battle that came down to the final minutes, Colby Men's Lacrosse showcased a high-powered offense and a resilient defense against the Mammoths of Amherst College on Saturday afternoon. Though the final score favored the Mammoths 11-10, the Mules dominated the early stages of the game and staged a late-game surge to keep the contest in the balance until the very end.

Colby came out of the gates firing, putting together an incredible first-quarter performance.

Tristan Bassett set the tone immediately, winning the opening face off and sprinting down the field to score just eight seconds into the game. The Mules kept the momentum rolling as

Eli Chilicki,

Daniel O'Connor, and

Joey Hagerty each found the back of the net to build a 4-0 lead within the first five minutes. By the end of the opening frame, a goal from senior goaltender

Will Heisler gave Colby a commanding 5-1 advantage, his first career goal.

The Mules' offensive depth was on full display throughout the first half.

Easton Bello and

Will Steele added goals in the second quarter, allowing Colby to take a 7-4 lead into the halftime break. Steele's unassisted strike with just 12 seconds remaining in the half provided a crucial emotional lift heading into the final 30 minutes.

Defensively,

Will Heisler was a wall in the cage, finishing the day with 14 saves. His efforts were particularly vital during a heavy Amherst push in the third quarter, where he turned away six shots to keep the Mules within striking distance.

Down 10-7 in the fourth quarter, Colby refused to back down.

Gavin Rothenberg ignited the comeback with back-to-back goals off assists from

Jacob Thibodeau and

Macon Burgess, cutting the deficit to one. Less than 20 seconds later, Rothenberg turned playmaker, feeding Chilicki for the game-tying goal with 6:23 remaining.

Bassett was a force at the face off X, winning 12 of 21 draws and leading the team with six ground balls.

Carson Ahola and

Drew Gannon also anchored the defensive effort, combining for eight ground balls to help navigate the Mammoths' pressure.

The Mules will look to carry the momentum from their explosive offensive start and late-game grit into their next conference match up at Bowdoin on Wednesday at 7pm.