AMHERST, Mass. — In a thrilling meet that came down to the final race, the Amherst College men's swimming and diving team fell by a 132-130 score to NESCAC foe Colby College in the season opener for both teams on Saturday at Pratt Pool.

Entering the 200-yard freestyle relay that closed the meet, the Mammoths were clinging to a narrow 124-121 lead, meaning whichever team won the final race, worth 11 points, would win the meet. Colby junior Brandon Morrison anchored the Mules' A team and touched less than a second ahead of the Mammoths to post a winning time of 1:24.28 and clinch the meet for Colby.

The Mammoths, ranked 20th in the nation in the latest CSCAA Division III poll, return to action in a week, visiting Middlebury on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 1 p.m.

MEET HIGHLIGHTS:

* First-year Owen Vale starred for the Mammoths, winning two races in his collegiate debut. His first race was the 200-yard butterfly, which he won in 1:53.71, with senior Henry LeCates just behind in 1:55.73.

* Vale won his second race of the day atop an Amherst sweep of the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:56.37. Sophomore Joel Chen was second in 1:59.63 and senior Michael Jang was third in 2:00.96.

* The Mammoths dominated both breaststroke races as junior Henry Liu led an Amherst sweep of the 100-yard breaststroke, touching in 57.80, with classmate Eric Albers in second at 58.44 and Jang in third at 1:00.47.

* Albers led the sweep of the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:08.79. Vale was second in 2:08.87 and Liu touched third in 2:10.73.