After a highly successful but ultimately disappointing 2000 campaign, the women's field hockey squad took the field Sunday with a fresh start to a new season in mind. Unfortunately, they were met that afternoon by a surprisingly tough Colby College team-a team that the Jeffs hadn't lost to in eight years. This time the Mules were able to reverse the trend, sending the Jeffs home pondering a season-opening loss.

Amherst was led back onto the field in 2001 by 21 returning members of last year's NCAA National Finalist squad, a team that finished the year 14-3. Losing only two-year All-American Gretchen Bowe '01, first to injury and then to graduation last year, the Jeffs appeared to be in great shape to repeat their impressive performance of two semesters past.

Colby was able to take the lead midway through the first half. Marcia Ingraham found the back of the net off of a penalty corner pass from Lyndsay Peters and Kelly Welsh, giving the Mules all the scoring they would need to win. The Jeffs were unable to score in the final 20:51 of the first half, and they met the same fate in the second half as well.

As evidenced by the score, both teams played dominant defense. Amherst goalie Beth Sensing '02 made six stops in net, while Carrie Torrisi turned away all eight shots from the Jeffs.

The offense will look to leading scorer Abigail Ouimet '03 (eight goals in 2000) again this year to put points on the board, while the defense is led by returning All-Region goaltender Sensing and All-NESCAC defender Laurie Smith '02. Tri-captain Mairin Brady '02 will be running the field as center mid-fielder again this season. Even with a host of talented and hard-working underclassmen, the tri-captains and the Jeffs could not hold off the Mules through the first half.

The Jeffs were scheduled to play MIT this Wednesday, but all games are postponed indefinitely.