The Amherst women’s ice hockey team opened post-season action with a dominant win over rival Williams.

This past Saturday, the puck dropped at Orr Rink, and with emotions running high, the Mammoths skated out to a commanding start.

After the Ephs were called for a penalty with two minutes left in the first period, junior Jocelyn Hunyadi opened the scoring with a power play goal to grab the 1-0 lead.

Hunyadi managed to redirect a rip from the point by first-year Mia Del Rosso.

Amherst converted again on a man-up situation five minutes into the second period.

Forward Emma Griese ’18 managed to corral a rebound from a Hunyadi shot and fire it past both the scrum of players in front of the net and the Williams goalie to put the Mammoths up 2-0.

Less than 10 minutes later, Hunyadi was credited with another assist, this time for first-year Rose Mroczka who reacted to Hunyadi’s rebound and sailed the puck into the back of the net.

Hunyadi’s stellar performance throughout the game earned her NESCAC player of the week accolades from the conference officials on Monday, Feb. 26.

Although the Mammoths got out to a 3-0 start, the Ephs did not relent. Williams managed to answer with a goal of its own less than a minute after Mroczka’s tally, and the teams entered the dressing rooms with Amherst leading, 3-1.

The Ephs cut the deficit to one early in the third with an impressive backhander, but Amherst managed to stave off the pressure and netted a crucial empty net goal with just over 40 seconds remaining to all but clinch the win, thanks to star forward Alex Toupal ’18, who scored the hosts’ fourth goal off an assist by junior Katie Savage.

Katelyn Pantera ’19 put the finishing touches on the Amherst win with an unassisted empty-net tally of her own to make it 5-2.

Bailey Plaman ’18 had an outstanding game in net, as she posted 39 saves for the home team and kept the potent Ephs’ offense at bay.

Amherst was outshot 41-19, but capitalized on their power play opportunities, finishing 2-for-3 while the Ephs went 0-for-2.

With the win, Amherst improves to a record of 15-6-4 overall and 9-4-3 in NESCAC action.

Next Saturday, March 3, the team will travel to Middlebury, Vermont to play Conn. College, who had bested the Mammoths in two close matches earlier this season, in the tournament semifinals.

If Amherst emerges victorious, the team will play the winner of the other semifinal, contested by Middlebury and Bowdoin, for the right to the conference’s automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA tournament.