It was a frustrating week for the Colby field hockey team as it lost twice, dropping the Mules record to 5-8 overall. The first loss came in a 1-0 nail-biter against University of New England at the Bill Alfond Field for a non-conference match-up on Tuesday, October 20. It was clear that goals would be hard to come by in this match-up as UNE came into the game riding a six game winning streak on the back of outstanding defensive play. The game epitomized the Colby season of playing very well, but fell short of the win.

One look at the statistics shows that Colby was far from overmatched, and that it was even the better team. In the shots on goal category, Colby led UNE 20 to 4 and forced UNE goalie to make six saves on goal as opposed to Liz Fontaine's '11 one. Colby also came out ahead in penalty corners, leading 11-2. However, the stats were not enough to earn Colby the win as a fourth minute goal proved to be the only goal of the game, and it went to UNE. The UNE defense has been rock solid, giving up just 12 goals in its last 12 games. This game proved to be no different as the UNE defense was able to fend off the relentless Colby attack for the entire game.

On Saturday, October 24, Colby travelled to Connecticut College for its second game of the week. In this New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) matchup, Colby fought valiantly only to fall to a 3-1 loss which leaves the team with a 1-7 record in conference play for the season. The Camels went ahead 2-0 in the first half and with 17 minutes left, Heather Quadir '11, who had missed time earlier in the game due to injury, reentered the action and immediately impacted the game, cutting Connecticut's lead to 2-1. Quadir scored off a pass from Captain Meghan Saccone '10. Quadir has been a driving force of the Colby team this season. However, just 2 minutes after Quadir found the back of the net, the Camels scored again to take a 3-1 lead.

Although wins have proved hard to come by in the very competitive NESCAC league, Colby may still be in playoff contention, even with its less than stellar 1-7 conference record. With one NESCAC game left, against Bates, Colby stands to make the postseason with a win over the Bobcats and a Connecticut win over Wesleyan University.

Even if Colby fails to make the playoff there have been several bright spots for the team. Quadir is an offensive force, leading the team with eight goals and four assists for a total of 20 points. Great play from Saccone and Fontaine has also been a trend throughout the season. Their leadership on defense has helped to improve the defensive side of the Colby game, and while the offense has been hampered by injuries, they have continued to play well. Next season with many of the key players, including Quadir, Meryl Poulin '11, and Fontaine, entering their senior year, the Mules will have both skill and experience on their side. However, with one game left to play in this season the team is staying focused on the present set its sights on scraping out one more NESCAC win that would give them a position in postseason play.