PHOTO GALLERY

AMHERST, Mass. – Emily Hester '17 netted a pair of second half goals to help the 11th-ranked Amherst College women's soccer team down Hamilton College, 3-0 in Saturday afternoon's NESCAC contest at Hitchcock Field.

With the win, Amherst improves to 8-1-0 on the season, 5-1-0 in league action, while Hamilton moves to 7-3-0 overall, 2-3-0.

In a game that saw back-and-forth action in the early going, Amherst drew first blood in the 25th minute when Hannah Guzzi '18 broke into the box on the right side and delivered a pass to Quinn Phillips '17, who turned to her left and fired a shot into the left side of the net past Hamilton's diving goalkeeper Rachel Cooley to give the Jeffs a 1-0 lead.

Early in the second half, Hannah Guzzi '18 was brought down in the box resulting in a penalty kick opportunity. Guzzi fired the shot to the lower left corner, but Cooley guessed correctly and made a brilliant diving stop to keep the score at 1-0 for the time being. 

After being edged in shots, 9-5 in the opening half, Hamilton responded with offensive pressure in the second half forcing the Jeffs' junior net-minder to make seven of her 10 saves in the second period.

Despite owning a 12-9 differential in shot total in the second frame, the Continentals allowed two more goals as Hester twice found the back of the net to secure the 3-1 win for the Purple & White.

In the 67th minute, Meredith Manley '18 delivered a pass to Hester which she deposited into the back of the net for her second goal of the season. With just over eight minutes remaining in regulation, Hester struck again, this time following a cross off the foot of Sarah Frohman '17, to up Hester's goal count to three on the season and set the score at 3-0.

The Amherst backline was stellar in keeping Hamilton off the board as Burwick recorded her sixth clean sheet of the season. Maya Jackson-Gibson '15, Emily Masten '17, Jessy Hale '16, Mel Stier '15 and Ariana Twomey '15 anchored the defensive efforts, while Sarah Zuckerman '17 and Emma Rothkopf '15 helped keep the potent Continental offense at bay.

Cooley made seven saves in the losing effort, while Victoria Freeman and Halle Becker notched two shots on goal each.

Amherst returns to non-league action on Wednesday, Oct. 8 when it travels to Eastern Connecticut State University for a 7 p.m. match.