Courtesy of Babson Sports Information

BABSON PARK, Mass. – Sophomore Krista Zsitvay (New Vernon, N.J.) recorded a second-half hat trick to help the eighth-ranked Amherst field hockey team earn a 5-0 win over host Babson College at MacDowell Field on Wednesday night. 

With the victory, Amherst improved to 8-1 on the year, while Babson fell to 7-8 overall. After dropping their first two meetings with the Beavers, the Jeffs have rattled off six-consecutive victories en route to a 6-2 edge in the all-time series.

Scoreless for the first 29 minutes, Amherst jumped in front late in the first half, as junior Katie McMahon (Denville, N.J.) turned the left corner and evaded charging senior keeper Jess Pashos before poking it into an empty cage at 29:34. The Beavers threatened to tie the game in the closing moments of the period, but senior back Sarah McCarrick (New Canaan, Conn.) made a clutch defensive save on the goal line with just over three minutes remaining in the frame to preserve the Jeffs' 1-0 advantage.

Hoping to carry the momentum into the second, the visitors added to their lead on a penalty corner a little more than 10 minutes into the stanza. After McCarrick's shot from just inside the circle was saved by Pashos, Zsitvay tucked the rebound across the goal line at 45:28. The sophomore forward struck again moments later, flicking a penalty stroke into the upper left corner at 50:59 for her second tally of the evening.

Zsitvay completed the hat trick at 53:37, tipping in a long pass from senior Carly Dudzik (Darien, Conn.) off a restart for her team-high 11th goal of the year. Sophomore Alex Philie (East Sandwich, Mass.) later tacked on her second marker of the season to cap off the 5-0 victory. 

Pashos made a valiant effort in net for Babson, matching her career high with 17 saves in just over 59 minutes of action. At the other end, first-year Rachael Tannenbaum (Berwyn, Pa.), who currently ranks sixth in the nation in save percentage, turned away two shots to earn her fourth shutout.

Amherst, which ranks third in the country in penalty corners per game, finished with a 14-7 edge in corners, while outshooting Babson 30-5.

The Lord Jeffs are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 15 at NESCAC rival Colby.