Colby Women’s Hockey completed a two-game sweep of the Connecticut College Camels this past weekend, winning both the Friday and Saturday contests 3–0 and 2–1. The Mules entered the series at 14–6, while the Camels sat at 12–9. With NESCAC playoff seeding yet to be settled, both teams sought to secure home-ice advantage in the first round.
The Mules dominated the Friday game, storming the Camels with goals from Jillian Mazzoca `23, Tate Senden `23, and McKinley Karpa `23. On Saturday, the team celebrated Senior Night, honoring the careers of Senden, Mazzocca, Karpa, Bri Michaud-Nolan `23, Madi Aumann `23, Stephanie Lane `23, and Madi Brown `23.
Colby came out of the gate quickly, with Audrey Shirer’s `26 shot finding the back of the Conn. net barely three minutes into the first period. The goal, Shirer’s sixth of the season, came from an assist by Michaud-Nolan. A minute after the goal, Conn. won the game’s first power play when Lane was sent to the box for a two-minute tripping infraction. The Camels’ power play unit mounted a strong attack, shooting five times over the course of the two minutes. All shots, however, were stopped by keeper Paige Bolyard `25. Immediately after the conclusion of the Conn. power play, the Mules had a skater advantage, as Conn.’s Kelly Matthews picked up a hooking penalty. The Mules took three shots on the power play, but all were stopped by Camels goaltender Abby Wieczorek.
Only thirty seconds after the end of the Mules’ power play, Conn. tied the game with an unassisted goal from Kelly Matthews, her fourth of the season. The remainder of the first period passed without any additions to the scorecard, and the Mules led the shooting 20–12 at the break.
At 13:05 of the second period, Conn. had a chance to take the lead in the power play after Megan Martodam `26 was called for cross-checking. The Camels, however, struggled to create opportunities. Michaud-Nolan blocked their only shot on the power play. Later in the period, at 17:41, the two teams committed simultaneous penalties, Colby’s Mazzoca being called for slashing and Conn.’s Melanie Conca picking up a roughing call. The second period then came to a close, and the Mules were once again leading the shooting in the period 12–9.
The third period had hardly begun when Meg Rittenhouse `24 put the Mules ahead. In fourteen seconds Rittenhouse’s scored her sixteenth goal of the year, assisted by Aumann and Michaud-Nolan. With the late lead, the Mules shifted to a defensive stance and sought to secure the critical three points in the NESCAC standings. As the Camels continued to mount an attack, Bolyard refused to concede, ending the game with 22 saves and a .957 save percentage. At 17:40 of the third, the Camels pulled their goaltender in favor of an extra skater. Eight seconds later, following a Senden power play, the camels went on another power play. Conn. took eight shots on the power play, all blocked moments before the game ended. The two wins this past weekend put the Mules in third place in the NESCAC and confirmed a playoff matchup with Trinity on Feb. 25 in Waterville. The Bantams, who finished sixth in the league, have been unsuccessful against the Mules this season, losing both matchups between the two sides. We are anxious to see what the rest of the season has in store.
~ Matt Quealy `26
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