The Jeffs split this week’s matches, taking one from Springfield on Wednesday and dropping one to Hamilton on Saturday.

Starting on Wednesday, the Jeffs took on their local rivals at home and delivered their second shutout of the season with a 5-0 win over the Pride. Notably, Amherst outshot Springfield 36-13 and held a 17-4 advantage in penalty corners. The Jeffs began their assault at the 18:27 mark when junior Katie McMahon found and netted sophomore Krista Zsitvay’s pass, following several close but unlucky penalty corner shots. Minutes later, first-year Kerry Fusco ripped a shot that careened off the goal and back towards McMahon, who quickly redirected it into the back of the net to register the team’s second goal.

After halftime, the Jeffs scored in a similar fashion when senior Chrissy Cantore rebounded sophomore Alex Philie’s shot into the goal. Five minutes later, Cantore assisted Zsitvay’s goal, making the score 4-0. Zsitvay returned later in the game to register her second goal and the team’s fifth, fed by senior Carly Dudzik’s shot on a penalty corner.

Rachel Tannenbaum ’15 recorded another eight saves in the game, putting her fourth win in the books. “Wednesday’s game was great,” Dudzik said. “We got the job done against a good Springfield team.”

The Jeffs were not as lucky on Saturday afternoon, registering their first loss of the season to Hamilton, 2-1. They traveled to Clinton, N.Y. to face the Continentals for the first time in NESCAC field hockey history. Within the first 10 minutes of the game, Hamilton’s Mary Lancaster and Nikki Haskins had each tacked a goal on the board, leaving the Jeffs in a two-goal deficit very quickly. “Hamilton came out in full force from the very first whistle,” co-captain Stephanie Clegg ’12 noted, “and we appeared to be back on our heels.”

The Jeffs went to work on the deficit when sophomore Sarah Canning delivered an unassisted goal at the end of the first half. While Amherst appeared to be gaining moment in the second half, nothing came to fruition. Although the Jeffs held an advantage in second-half shots and penalty corners, Clegg explained that, “We simply ran out of time.”

“We are using this loss as a motivator for the rest of the season,” Dudzik added. “We know that we have the skills and strength to play well together and are not going to dwell on Saturday’s game. We can’t wait to get back out there.”

The Jeffs now stand at 4-1 (3-1 NESCAC). They will take on Mount Holyoke away on Wednesday night and hosting Tufts on Saturday afternoon.