The women’s lacrosse team jumped out to an early start in last Saturday’s match-up against Hamilton College with a goal from Meghan Mills ’15 just over a minute into the contest. Three tallies from Priscilla Tyler ‘15 and two goals each from five other players gave the Jeffs a decisive 15-6 victory over the No. 14 Continentals. The win marked No. 11 Amherst’s fourth straight victory as the team improved to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in NESCAC play.
The Jeffs’ offensive pressure started early with Mills’ close-range goal off a feed from Tyler, and Caroline Holliday ’14 added her first tally of the game six minutes later on a free-position shot that sailed past Hamilton goalie Kari Koga ’15. The Continentals quickly responded with their first and only goal of the half, but Tyler struck just 40 seconds later to make it a 3-1 game.
Scoring was quiet for the next 15 minutes as both teams fought for control of the ball, but Mills finally broke through on a free-position shot that sparked an eight-goal run for the Jeffs. Two minutes later, Tyler added her second goal of the game on a behind-the-net pass from Mia Haughton ’16 to put the Jeffs ahead by four. Marta Randall ’13 rounded out the scoring with just 1.2 seconds left in the half, giving Amherst a 6-1 lead heading into the break.
Randall notched her second goal of the match-up just three minutes into the second half after scooping up her own rebound and finishing from the right post. The senior captain added an assist 60 seconds later, feeding co-captain Hilary Densen ’13 on a fast break. Densen tallied her second goal just 40 seconds after her breakaway, beating her defender around the left post and firing a shot past Koga to give Amherst an eight-goal advantage.
Holliday added her second goal 10 minutes into the half, racing in from the top of the arc for an unassisted strike. A free-position tally from Elizabeth Ludlow ’14 padded the Jeffs’ lead, but Hamilton finally broke the scoring streak with just under 16 minutes left on the clock. Amherst responded one minute later with an unassisted strike from Tyler, but the Continentals added two goals in 35 seconds to make it a 12-4 game.
Sarah Spector tallied her third goal of the season with eight minutes remaining to put Amherst ahead by nine, but Hamilton fought back with a goal from Margaret Gabriel ’16 to cut the Jeffs’ lead to eight. Alex Philie ’14 answered with an unassisted goal on a man-up advantage, but the Continentals struck yet again with just under two minutes left to keep the differential at eight. Ludlow finally capped off scoring with 14 seconds left to give Amherst the 15-6 victory.
First-year Christy Forest made seven saves in net for Amherst, who held a 25-17 shot advantage and an 18-14 edge in ground balls. The victory over Hamilton marked the Jeffs’ fourth consecutive win after defeating Swarthmore and Elizabethtown over Spring Break and Springfield at home last Wednesday.
Philie led the way against Springfield last week with a hat trick, while Mills and Randall followed close behind with two goals apiece. Up by four at halftime, the Jeff defense held Springfield to just one second-half goal and scoreless over the final 27 minutes. Densen chipped in with a goal and an assist as Amherst downed the Pride, 8-3.
Ludlow netted a hat trick of her own on the road against Swarthmore as the Jeffs’ downed their non-conference opponents, 11-8, over Spring Break. Trailing by four at the start the second half, Swarthmore notched the first three goals of the period to pull within one, but Amherst outscored the Phoenix 3-1 in the final minutes with a pair of goals from Ludlow. Haughton added two goals and an assist to her impressive rookie scorecard, while Tyler and Mills each scored twice and Holliday followed with a goal and two assists.
The Jeffs’ highest-scoring result this season also came on the road over break with a commanding 18-8 victory over Elizabethtown. Randall went 7-for-7 in the match-up, converting every shot she took for a total of seven goals.
Most recently, the squad easily toppoed Wesleyan, 15-6, behind a staggering eight goals from Tyler, boosting its record to 6-2.
Having won five straight, Amherst is back in action on Saturday: the squad travels to Middlebury on Saturday for a key NESCAC matchup.
