The Hamilton College women's lacrosse team opened the season with an 8-5 win over Colby College in a NESCAC match-up between nationally ranked opponents Sunday afternoon.

The game was played at Bowdoin College's Ryan Field after originally being scheduled for Saturday at Colby.

The No. 16 Continentals (1-0, 1-0 NESCAC) held the 18th-ranked Mules (0-1, 0-1) to two goals in the final 45 minutes after Colby had scored the game's first three goals.

Casey File '17 scored a game-best three goals with all three coming during Hamilton's 7-0 run over a 30:42 stretch. Darby Philbrick '18, who assisted on File's final goal, closed out that run by putting the Continentals ahead 7-3 with 6:26 to go. The Mules scored twice in a span of 2:10 to pull to within 7-5 but Morgan Fletcher '17 sealed the win with 11 seconds remaining.

Emma Banks and Kelsey Bowen scored on free-position shots, sandwiched around a Maddie Hatch goal to give the Mules a 3-0 lead midway through the opening half.

File started the Continental rally with 7:08 left in the first, then converted a pass from Fletcher into a goal 3:49 into the second. Nora Klemmer '17, who assisted on File's first goal, tied the score at 3-3 just 21 seconds later and Hamilton took the lead for good on a free-position goal by Kara Pooley '19 at the 24:48 mark.

Colby got back on the scoreboard with 3:14 left on a goal by Lexie Perticone and Hatch scored with 1:04 remaining.

Hamilton outshot the hosts 19-10 with Izzy Scribano stopping eight shots for Colby.

Hannah Burrall '19 played the first 30 minutes in net for Hamilton with Hannah Rubin '17 coming in at halftime. Rubin made three saves and Burrall was credited with one.

Taylor Ryan '17 scooped up five ground balls, Philbrick won three draw controls and Pooley caused four turnovers; all three totals led all players.

The Continentals open their home schedule Wednesday, hosting the William Smith College Herons at 4 p.m. on Withiam Field.