Hartford, Conn. - Senior captain guard Lexi Menard (Wallingford, Conn.) scored a career-high 16 points to go along with six assists, but that was not enough as the Trinity College women's basketball team fell to the Colby College Mules, 72-63, in a Friday evening New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) matchup in Hartford. Trinity drops its fourth straight conference matchup, falling to 9-5 overall and 0-4 in league play. Colby improves to 10-6 overall  

Menard led the Bantams in the first quarter as she put up seven points and recorded an assist in a first frame that saw over ten lead changes. Colby led 18-17 after the first ten minutes behind six points from sophomore Haley Driscoll (Bedford, N.H.). The second quarter remained close as both teams traded leads for the second ten minute frame with Colby taking a 32-27 lead into the half. Senior captain center Mackenzie Griffin (Stamford, Conn.) led all scorers with 10 points at halftime while Menard totaled nine points at the break as the Bantams shot 44.4% from the field. 

Colby opened up a nine-point lead early in the third quarter thanks to a 6-2 run out of the gates. A pair of free throws from Trinity freshman Erica Junquet (Monroe, N.J.) cut the deficit to seven, however Colby senior Desiree Smith (Watertown, Mass.) answered on the following posession with a three-pointer to push the Mules to its first double-digit lead of the game. With 1:20 left in the quarter, Carylanne Wolfington (Hampden, Maine) hit a deep three for the Mules to give Colby a 13-point lead, its largest of the game.

Trinity trailed 52-41 entering the final quarter but a quick three-pointer by Menard to start the fourth quarter cut the deficit to eight. Senior captain guard Christina Raiti (Plainview, N.Y.) knocked down a triple with 2:42 remaining, prompting a timeout from Colby. Out of the timeout, freshman Courtney Erickson (Everett, Mass.) connected on a jump shot from the baseline to cut into Colby's lead, however Mule senior Mia Diplock (Vienna, Maine) answered with a three-pointer on the other end with 1:23 to play. With less than 50 seconds left, Menard got fouled and connected on 1-of-2 free throws to make it a 67-59 Colby lead however the Bantams intercepted the ensuing inbounds as Landy then got fouled and connected on both of her free-throws to cut it to a six-point deficit. Despite the late push, Colby knocked down three free-throws to ice the game, and preserve the nine-point victory.

Griffin led all scorers with 22 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Menard with 16 points, and Landy who finished with 14 points and four assists. The Bantams shot 43.4% from the field, but connected on just 3-of-13 shots from beyond the arc. For Colby, Driscoll finished with 16 points and six rebounds, followed by Smith and Diplock who added 14 points each, and Wolfington who finished with 11 points as she surpassed 1,000 career points in a Mule uniform.

Trinity returns to action tomorrow, January 23, when it hosts the Bowdoin Polar Bears for Alumnae Day. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.