The Hamilton College men's lacrosse team roared back from a 5-0 first-quarter deficit to open the season with a 9-8 win over visiting Colby College in a NESCAC game at Steuben Field Sunday afternoon.

The Continentals (1-0, 1-0 NESCAC) held the Mules (0-1, 0-1) scoreless over the final 17 minutes and scored twice in the last quarter to erase Colby's 8-7 lead. Chris Conley '20 capped a three-goal performance by tying the score midway through the fourth and Casey Kopp '17 netted the game-winner with 6:27 to go.

Hamilton forced three Colby turnovers and withstood a pair of shots – including one that hit the post – in the final minute to seal the win.

After the Mules scored on five of their nine first-quarter shots, the Continental defense clamped down to shut out Colby over a 23:32 stretch that included the entire second quarter. Conley and Nate Weinrauch '17 both scored twice in a 7-1 Hamilton run that put the hosts up 7-6 with 7:55 to go in the third.

The Mules closed out the third with a pair of goals to carry an 8-7 advantage into the last quarter but didn't score on their last eight shots.

Eric Zurmuehle '18 won 16 of the game's 20 faceoffs and led all players with eight ground balls.

Three Mules each finished with a pair of goals, including Kevin Seiler, who scored twice in the first 7:15 to help Colby to a 5-0 lead. Seiler's goals were sandwiched around the first of Austin Sayre's two goals with Tucker Dietrick and Lane Kadish each netting a first-quarter goal.

Hamilton's offensive outburst started with a pair of man-up goals by Weinrauch six seconds apart early in the second. After Conley fed Weinrauch for Hamilton's first goal 3:32 in, Zurmuehle won the ensuing faceoff and assisted on Weinrauch's second goal. Conley closed out the second-quarter scoring with his first career goal 1:31 later.

Colby pushed its lead back to 6-3 on a Don Vivian goal 4:07 into the second half but four straight Hamilton goals in a 2:20 stretch put the Continentals up for the first time. Michael Alderman '18 and Chad Morse '19 netted unassisted goals 13 seconds apart with Morse's goal (at the 10:02 mark) pulling the hosts to within one. Conley knotted the score at six-all with 8:55 to go and 60 seconds later Andrew Cox '20 put Hamilton ahead with his first collegiate goal.

Kopp set up Conley's tying goal in the fourth, forcing a Colby turnover during a Mule clear attempt. Hamilton won the next faceoff but Colby's C.J. Layton came up with a save of a Conley shot. Hamilton's ride forced another Mule turnover and Kopp finished the possession with the winning goal.

The Continentals forced a turnover on another Colby clear attempt (the Mules were successful on their first 15 tries before turning the ball over on three of their last four attempts over the final 10 minutes).

Following a late Hamilton turnover, Dietrick hit the post with 49 seconds remaining. After a pair of Mule penalties with 19 seconds left, the Continentals turned the ball over again with just six seconds remaining. Layton picked up the ground ball and Hamilton was whistled for a penalty with three seconds to go but Vivian's last-second shot was wide.

Layton and Hamilton's John Schisler '17 both made 10 saves in goal.

Brock Bowers '20 picked up four ground balls for the Continentals. Sayre and C.J. Hassan led Colby with four apiece.

The Continentals return to action Wednesday, playing a 4:30 p.m. non-league game at Utica College.