Box Score 
WATERVILLE – In the first game of both teams' seasons, the Tufts University women's lacrosse team fell to the Colby College Mules in a conference matchup by a score of 9-4 on Saturday afternoon at Bill Alfond Field.
Tufts got the early lead just over three minutes into the game on freshman Genna Gibbons' (pictured) first career goal, and Colby responded almost nine minutes later as freshman Julia Jardina also scored her first career goal to tie the game up at one. The game seemed to be going into the second period with a tie score, but Colby senior Grace Toner sent a free-position shot by Jumbos goalie Molly Laliberty with just 12 seconds left in the first period to give the Mules the lead.
Once again, Tufts scored the first goal of the period as senior Mae Briody fired a free-position shot into the back of the net five and a half minutes into the period to make it 2-2. Colby responded with four unanswered goals to close out the first half, with junior Annie Eddy scoring two and Jardina adding two more goals to send the hosts into halftime with the 6-2 lead.
There were not many scoring opportunities in the third period as Colby had just two shots compared to Tufts' five. With 5:57 remaining in the period, Tufts senior Kathryn Delaney scored the only goal of the period to cut the Colby lead to three going into the fourth.
The Jumbos rode their momentum scoring again almost five minutes into the fourth period on a Colette Smith goal to make it a 6-4 game. Laliberty made some key saves on the other end to keep the Jumbos within striking distance, but the Mules would seal the victory on three consecutive goals in the final six minutes as sophomore Ally Franz scored and Eddy added two more goals to give her four for the game.
The Jumbos had four different goal scorers with Briody, Delaney, Gibbons and Smith all finishing with one goal. Along with Eddy's four goals, Jardina finished with three goals and three points, while Franz finished with one goal and Toner finished with one goal and two assists for three points.
Colby won the shots battle 27-21 as well as grabbing 18 ground balls compared to the Jumbos' four. Laliberty finished the game with 12 saves and Colby goalie Emily Podgorni had 15 saves.
Next, the Jumbos will host Williams College for another NESCAC matchup on Sunday, March 6 at 2 pm for the Bello Field opener.
Written by Tim O'Brien, Athletic Communications Intern
