Hartford, Conn. – The Trinity College men's lacrosse team opened the 2015 season with a 9-7 loss to visiting Colby on Saturday afternoon in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action on Sheppard Field. In sunny but chilly conditions, the Mules erased a four-goal halftime deficit to top the Bantams to begin conference play.

Trinity came out of the gates charging as first-year Charlie Malhame (Manhasset, N.Y.) wasted little time making his presence known, registering his first collegiate goal less than 35 seconds into play. The Bantams controlled the tempo in the first quarter as they added two more tallies to hold a 3-0 edge after 15 minutes. Junior Ryan DeSimone (Saint James, N.Y.) and senior-co-captain Matthew Hauck (Ridgewood, N.J.) both found the back of the net for the hosts.

Two minutes into the second, Derek Youngman put Colby on the board with the first of five goals on the afternoon. Trinity closed out the opening half with two more markers to stretch their lead to four at 5-1 heading into break.

Colby stole the momentum away Trinity in the third quarter as the visitors scored six unanswered goals to take a 7-5 lead heading into the final stanza. During the third, Youngman scored four goals, three of which were man-up tallies. Also finding the back of the net for the Mules in the third were John Grimaldi and Austin Sayre.

Malhame scored back-to-back goals over the first nine minutes of the final quarter for Trinity to tie the game at seven. Down the stretch, Grimaldi potted the eventual game-winner with 4:27 left in regulation and Tanner Holifield added an insurance tally with just two and a half minutes left.

Offensively, Malhame led the charge for Trinity with three goals, while Hauck added a pair of markers. Defensively, first-year JP Masaryk (Stratford, Conn.) grabbed a team-high six ground balls.

Youngman paced the Mules attack with five tallies and Grimaldi added two goals and two assists.

Between the pipes, Trinity senior Makar Zaverucha (Duxbury, Mass.) made 14 saves in a losing effort. On the opposite end, Tyler Will stopped 17 shots to earn the victory for Colby.

In the face-off circle, the Bantams won 10-of-19.  Trinity went 18-of-35 in clears and forced 14 Colby turnovers.

Trinity returns to action on Wednesday, Mar. 4, with a non-conference home contest versus in-state rival Western Connecticut State. The clash with the Colonials is set for 6:00 p.m. under the lights at Sheppard Field.