WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Amherst College field hockey team traveled west to the campus of NESCAC and Little Three archrival Williams College this afternoon for a crucial conference game. Amherst scored the game's only goal less than 15 minutes into the game, and held on for a 1-0 win over the Ephs.

The Lord Jeffs and Ephs needed overtime to settle this matchup on five occasions since 2000, with last year's result going in favor of the Ephs, 2-0. Amherst came into today's game sitting sixth in the current NESCAC standings, but with a 3-2 conference mark after today can climb as high as fourth in the ladder.

In the seventh minute of the first half, Amherst nearly caught a break when a shot by Katie McMahon (Denville, NJ) got stuck in the Williams goalie's foot blocker. It looked as though the referees were going to award the Jeffs with a penalty stroke, but after close to ten minutes of looking at the rule book gave Amherst just a penalty corner. The Ephs killed off the scoring opportunity without surrendering a dangerous shot.

With 23:42 to play in the first stanza, Amherst struck first. Off its second penalty corner of the game, senior tri-captain Carly Leahy (Weston, MA) was able to get a shot through the Eph defense on a broken play to put Amherst on top 1-0. 

Williams nearly equalized with a little over 13 minutes remaining in the opening frame. Nicolle Perry's shot beat a sprawling Sarah Wise (Akron, OH) in the Amherst net, but the Eph's bid trickled just inches outside the left post and out of danger. The Lord Jeffs earned a pair of corners one minute later, but a long drive from Chrissy Cantore (Hershey, PA) on the second opportunity was easily saved by Katrina Tulla. 

The second half came and went without a single goal, allowing Amherst to hold on for the 1-0 shutout win. The win improves Amherst's record to 5-2 (3-2 NESCAC), while the Ephs fall to 2-4 (1-3) with the loss. The shutout win is the second straight shutout win for the Lord Jeffs, and Amherst's fourth straight overall victory. 

Wise made just one save for the win as Amherst outshot Williams 17-7, while Tulla made eight stops in the loss. The Lord Jeffs will return to action on Thursday night at home against Babson in non-conference action. Amherst will take on Babson for a 6 p.m. game on Gooding Field.