NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Juniors Justine Liguori and Molly Donegan each scored their fifth goal of the season for the Mammoths Wednesday night, leading the #16-ranked Amherst College field hockey team to a 6-0 win over host Smith College.

With the victory Amherst improved to 7-5 overall while Smith fell to 3-10 on the season. The Mammoths will travel to Hamilton on Saturday to take on the Continentals at 11 a.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

*Donegan gave the Mammoths an early lead five minutes into the first quarter after senior Kate Smith inserted to senior Abbey Kays, who blasted the ball across the circle toward the lower right corner. The shot found Donegan inside the right post, who redirected the ball toward center goal and past the Pioneer goaltender.

*The Mammoths scored again with ten minutes left in the second quarter after junior Isa Lattuada passed the ball down the left aisle to find Donegan, who sped past her defender and dribbled downfield toward the left post, flicking the ball back to find Liguori. Liguori took one touch away from the goal, then turned and fired the ball into the lower right corner of the net to lift Amherst up 2-0 over Smith.

*A diving save from sophomore Grace Puchalski and tight pressure from Donegan ended an offensive break from Smith with five minutes remaining in the first half.

*An excellent team effort led Amherst to end the first half up 3-0. Liguori passed down the right lane toward sophomore Chloe Agopian, who beat her defender and tapped the ball into the curving run of freshman Caroline Busler in front of the goal. Busler's shot deflected wide to Donegan, who passed the ball back to find Lattuada outside the circle. The junior buried her shot into the left corner to notch Amherst's third goal with under two minutes remaining in the half.

*After a scoreless first five minutes of the third quarter, Kate Smith gave Amherst a 4-0 lead after she inserted to Lattuada on a penalty corner. Lattuada's stick rocketed the ball toward the lower left corner, where Smith quickly tapped the ball into the net.

*Three minutes later, the Mammoths found the back of the net again off their tenth penalty corner of the match. Sophomore Maya Harrington inserted to freshman Emily Huehn, whose shot into center goal was saved by Smith goaltender Emma Newman. Harrington stole the deflection and passed across the circle to sophomore Genevieve Caruso. The forward released a powerful slap shot, blasting the ball into the lower left corner to earn her first goal of the season.

*Kays closed the match with a final goal for the Mammoths three minutes into the fourth quarter. After sophomore Samantha Norman outmaneuvered her defender at the top of the circle and found Kays open, the midfielder took one touch to control the ball, then fired the ball towards the goal. The ball ricocheted off the stick of a Smith defender, bouncing into the back of
the net.

*Puchalski substituted out for freshman Kate Grady in goal with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give the freshman her collegiate debut.

BY THE NUMBERS:

*The Mammoths out-shot Smith 26-12 and doubled their shots on goal, 22-11.

*Smith was awarded their first penalty corner in the final quarter of the game. Amherst held a large advantage in corners, 11-4.

*Amherst remains undefeated against the Smith field hockey team, having won their last 24 matches against the Pioneers.