AMHERST, MA. – Despite a valiant defensive effort. No. 14-ranked Amherst College women's lacrosse team dropped their final home game of the season on Saturday, April 20. Taking on No. 3 Tufts in a battle of top-15 teams, the Mammoths fell to the Jumbos by a 17-12 score line.

Before their matchup with the Jumbos, the Mammoths took the opportunity to honor the team's eight seniors: Eliza Marcus, Charlotte Palmore, Caitlin Hoffman, Mary Gum, Grace Wyckoff, Campbell Moriarty, Abby Troy, and Caroline Stole. In three seasons, their class has an overall record of 26 wins and 18 losses, making two NESCAC Quarterfinal appearances.

With the loss the Mammoths dropped to 8-6 this season, while Tufts improved to 12-2. The Mammoths will close out the regular season on Wednesday, April 24, taking on Trinity on the road. The contest against Bantams will begin at 6 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* Tufts came out of the gate firing, scoring the game's first two goals to take a 2-0 lead. However, the Mammoths narrowed that lead to one through transition play. After a big save by Jessye Salmon, some slick passing got the Mammoths out of trouble and the ball to Kate Becker. The sophomore started the break, and then finished it, netting off a pass from Clara Sosa to make it 2-1.
 
* Tufts responded with a goal of their own to restore their lead, but Bridget Finley scored a free-position opportunity to again narrow the Jumbos' advantage to one. Classmate Sofia Guttmann put one just under the crossbar, tallying to tie the game at 3-3. Despite multiple Amherst scoring chances in the final minute of the quarter, the teams went into the second frame tied.  
 
* Tufts again got the scoring started in the second, potting two straight goals once again take a two-goal advantage at 5-3. But the Mammoths again bounced back via Mia Raven, who put her defender in the spin-cycle and finished through contact to make it 5-4. However, Tufts maintained their offensive efficiency, netting four more times to take a two-goal lead at 9-4 with 3:17 to play in the first half.
 
* The Mammoths ended their drought with 2:21 left in the period by way of Finley, who scored off a beautiful pass from a driving Guttmann. This sparked their offense, as Becker scored with what has become her signature move --- a crease roll from X --- to narrow the lead to three once more. Another Tufts goal ended the half, and the teams went into the break with the Mammoths down 10-6.
 
* Coming out of halftime, it was Amherst who scored first, starting the third hot. Guttmann scored her second of the day, then Sosa got her first shrink the lead to 10-8. Then, the teams began to trade scores. First the Jumbos scored, then Guttmann fired back with a free-position shot to maintain the margin before the visitors scored again. Guttmann netted once more in rebuttal before they got the break they needed, with Rachel Rogers netting to put the Mammoths within one going into the fourth, 12-11.
 
* The final quarter again opened with three straight Tufts goals to jump out to a five-goal advantage with six minutes to go. Here, the Mammoths got their first of the period by way of Finley off an assist from Becker to the deficit 15-12. But despite their best efforts, the Jumbos scored a final time with 1:26 to go to put the game out of reach, with the Mammoths falling 17-12.
 
 
BY THE NUMBERS:
 
* With her goal(s) today, Finley has now scored in her last nine games played. Guttmann and Sosa have netted in their last five.

*  Brynn Korpi led the Mammoths in ground balls with three, and Raven led the Mammoths in draw controls with six.
 
* Salmon made six saves in the loss.