BY JACOB LACE // APRIL 28, 2016 //

The Curry Colonels (10-7 overall; 3-5 CCC) were hoping to enter the playoffs with a clean, even slate, but the Roger Williams University Hawks (13-3; 8-0) wanted to drag them through the mud first and preserve their undefeated record within the Commonwealth Coast Conference, in what became a Colonels 19-4 downfall.

Before Tuesday night’s season finale there was a light rain-shower that made the air colder, yet Roger Williams stayed hot every time they touched the ball. Despite how close the scoreboard started off, it was their game to lose.

The Hawks were controlling the ball on both sides of the field, and the Colonels only acted in short spurts of offense. For more than half the game, the Colonels were stalled at three goals while their defensive strategies were put through the wringer for virtually the entire game, and they failed at almost every challenge.

The scoring was started by Curry junior Kelly Parker (Branford, Conn.), and instead of sparking something for the Colonels offense, it opened the flood gates for Roger Williams. Hawks’ junior McKenna Everding (Fayetteville, N.Y.) responded almost immediately to Parker’s goal, and with Everding’s other six goals and one assist, she led the Hawks as they capped off their undefeated CCC record.

Curry head coach Caitlin Roberts was only interested in speaking about the upcoming playoffs rather than what happened throughout the regular season or in the finale, repeating after the game, “tomorrow we are zero-zero.”

Curry starts the playoffs as the 6th seed in the CCC, and their conference quarterfinals begin on Saturday, April 30th at noon against the University of New England (10-6) (6-2 CCC). As Curry’s players were walking back to the locker room, Roberts was still on the field, going to individual players and giving them advice or an upbeat thought.

“We are excited,” she reiterated. “Tomorrow it’s zero-zero. Clean Slate. Brand new season. I’m very happy about the way our season went this year and we are looking forward to a championship,” she added with conviction.

It’s that type of determination and optimism that gives Curry an extra push in their new start. Playing UNE for the second time, having lost to the Nor’easters earlier in the season, isn’t deterring Roberts’ confidence toward achieving Curry’s goal: “We are excited to play them again. We want that win back.”

If the Colonels advance to the second round, they play Endicott College (7-9) (6-2 CCC) who enters the playoffs as the second seed.