Mule Weekly Recap November 7, 2022

Volleyball Returns to NESCAC Playoffs, Falls to #13 Wesleyan

The Colby Volleyball team returned to the conference playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season, set to take on Wesleyan University (ranked 13th nationally). The Mules dropped their lone matchup against Wesleyan 3-1 in the regular season.

Hosting the tournament as NESCAC's top seed, Wesleyan was set on advancing their 21-2 season. Colby battled the hosts tough, dropping the first two sets (25-20, 25-19) before taking the third set 25-18. The momentum shifted back to the Cardinals in the fourth set, downing the Mules 25-21.

Emma Davis led Colby with 15 kills, with LJ Grant right behind with 13. Wesleyan holds the third best hitting percentage in the nation (0.255), but the Mules were able to hold their opponents to 0.190 in the match. The Cardinals controlled the net posting 14 blocks, and also tallied seven service aces across the four sets.

Colby concludes its season with a 14-9 record, the most wins since going 14-12 in 2015. Grant and Davis finished 4th and 10th respectively in the conference in kills/set, while Hanna Wyllie ranked 9th in hitting percentage. Sydney Sick ranked fifth in the NESCAC in assists/set.

Football Levels Record to 4-4, Falls to Tufts

Colby hosted Tufts Saturday for the home finale. Before the contest, the Mules celebrated 17 seniors and their families.

On and off the field, our team has represented the campus and community in amazing ways. Both presidents of the senior class are members of our team. We have the vice president for the Student Athletes of Color Group and a sexual violence prevention leader. We have a two-sport athlete, a NESCAC Rookie of the Year, an NFL intern, and six players have been named to the NESCAC All-Academic Team during their career. This group helped our program right the ship and set a new course for Colby Football.

• Jack Cosgrove, the Dick McGee Head Coach for Colby Football

Tufts jumped out to a 14-0 lead with touchdowns in each of the first two quarters. The Mules were able to close the gap prior to halftime when Keon Smart capped a 9-play 80-yard drive with less than two minutes to play in the second quarter.

While the Mules held the top-ranked passing team (Tufts is averaging over 300 passing yards per game) to 125 first-half total yards, the visitors scored touchdowns on all three second half possessions, piling up 219 yards while burning over 20 minutes off the clock. Colby possessed the ball for only three drives in the second half and the Tufts defense kept the Mules out of the end zone the rest of the way to preserve the 35-7 victory.

Matt Hersch threw for his third consecutive 200-yard performance, passing for 219 yards on 17 completions. Nick Donatio and Julian Young paced the Mules on defense with 12 and 11 tackles respectively. Luke D'Aloia (nine tackles) and Marc Dougherty (eight tackles) followed.

Colby is now 4-4 set to play the season finale Saturday evening at Bowdoin. The Mules are searching for their first winning season since 2005 when they went 7-1.

Morris, Mellor, Beers Named All-NESCAC

Tyler Morris, the 2021 NESCAC Champion and Performer of the Year, fell just short of a repeat performance, finishing second at the 2022 meet. The 2019 NESCAC Rookie of the Year claimed his third All-NESCAC title in as many seasons.

Ben Mellor earned his first All-NESCAC honor. After finishing 53rd in 2019 and 17th at the 2021 event, Mellor finished in 12th place at the 2022 Championship a week ago, claiming All-NESCAC Second team.

Head Coach Jared Beers was named the Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year after guiding the Men's team to a second place finish at the conference championship. This is his third Coach of the Year honor in the last 10 years.

The Men's and Women's Cross Country teams take to the trails at Bowdoin College Saturday for the NCAA Regional Championship to find out who advances to the national stage.