CLINTON, N.Y. – Continentals senior captain Eva Abel scored a second-half hat trick to lead Hamilton College to a 7-5 win over the Amherst College women's lacrosse team in a matchup of two nationally ranked NESCAC squads in the season opener for both teams on Saturday at Steuben Field.

The game marked Amherst's return to competition for the first time since March 11, 2020, after which the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shut down the 2020 season after five games and prevented the Mammoths from fielding a team in 2021.

The Mammoths, ranked 19th in the nation in the latest ILWomen/IWLCA Division III Poll, got two goals each from senior captain Becky Kendall and junior midfielder Sydney Larsen and a goal from junior midfielder Fiona Jones. The Mammoths are back in action on Tuesday (March 8), hosting Springfield for a non-conference clash while the 24th-ranked Continentals host Rochester on Wednesday.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

* After Lauren Hamilton scored first for the Continentals on a free position shot, Larsen tied the score at 1-1 before the first quarter ended.

* The Continentals scored twice in 31 seconds early in the second quarter to take a lead that they never relinquished.

* Jones got on the board with a goal in the third quarter and Kendall scored a free-position goal with 27 seconds to go in the third to bring the Mammoths back within two but that became the final margin as each side scored one goal each in the fourth.

BY THE NUMBERS

* Five goalies played in the game between both teams. Senior Caroline Fischer played the first half for the Mammoths before sophomore Caroline Stole took over for the second half and made five saves while allowing only three goals in her collegiate debut. Junior Maeve Luparello was in goal in the first quarter for the Continentals before senior Maggie Reville played the second quarter and sophomore Casey Fiore earned the win with four saves in the second half.

* The 12 total goals scored in this defensive battle was the lowest total goals in an Amherst game since a 6-5 loss to Colby to open the 2019 season. The game was the ninth straight game in which the Mammoths held their opponent under 10 goals.

* The Mammoths held a 12-4 advantage in draw controls, led by five from Larsen. The Continentals had a 19-17 edge in ground balls.