AMHERST, MA -- Amherst College first-year goalie Natalie Stott made 22 saves Friday night as the 11th-ranked Mammoths opened their 2022-23 campaign with a 4-0 shutout victory over conference rival Hamilton at Orr Rink.

The two teams will conclude their two-game series Saturday at 3 p.m. back at Orr Rink. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Junior Mary Thompson, in her first game as a Mammoth opened the scoring with 7:48 remaining in the first period. With Amherst on the power play, Avery Flynn stopped a clear attempt at the blue line and quickly sid a pass to her right to classmate Leslie Schwartz. Schwartz carried the puck to the circle and fired a shot on goal that Thompson, stationed in front, tipped past the Hamilton goalie for a 1-0 lead. 

* With 2:57 left in the period, Jayna Park made it 2-0. Stationed in the slot, she gathered in a bouncing puck and fired a quick shot past the goalie. 

* Stott, making her collegiate debut, made a spectacular stop late in the frame to keep it a two-goal lead for the hosts. Hamilton's Abby Kuhns fired a shot from the blue line that Stott saved, but the rebound went off her to her right where Maddie Hong was all alone. Hong quickly fired toward the mostly vacant net, but Stott reached back with her glove hand and stropped the puck with her outstretched arm. 

* Amherst came out flying in the second period, placing a lot of pressure on the Continental keepers and goalie. However, they were shorthanded when first year Maeve Reynolds gained possession of the puck in her own zone and quickly spotted junior Rylee Glennon streaking down the center of the ice. Reynolds's pass found the blade of Glennon, who skated in alone on the keeper, deked left, and backhanded a shot into the top shelf for a 3-0 Amherst lead. 

*Stott made another great save, robbing Lydia Bullock who had created a one-on-one opportunity from close range. Stott sprawled to her left and made a great pad save of Bullock's attempt. 

* The Mammoths made it 4-0 with 6:20 to go in the second period. First-year defender Emily Hohmann slid a pass to partner Kelsey Stewart, who took a few strides toward the goal and fired a low shot that was saved. The rebound rebounded out to the mid-slot where senior Kate Pohl gathered it in and immediately fired a shot into the left side of the goal for her first goal of the season. 



BY THE NUMBERS: 

* Amherst had a 12-7 shot advantage after one period and a 22-14 edge after two. They finished with a 30-22 advantage. 

* The Mammoths won 29 of the 49 face-offs, with Park making the most of her opportunities in the circle, winning 11 of 15. 

* Hamilton was whistled for 3 penalties, the Mammoths two. 

* Stott stopped 22 shots, 8 in both the first and third periods, to record a shutout in her first collegiate game.