Amherst College Athletics

AMHERST, Mass. — First-year Sami Lester's first career goal marked the start of the Amherst College women's hockey team's shutout over the Worcester State University Lancers; goals from Ayla Abban, Cara Mancini, and Alyssa Xu followed suit, for a final turnout of 4-0 at Orr Rink Saturday afternoon.

The Mammoth's record improved to 10-1-0 overall.

Amherst will face their next opponent, Middlebury College, for a NESCAC matchup next Friday (Jan. 17) at 7 p.m. in Middlebury, VT.  

GAME HIGHLIGHTS 

• After a puck-scrum by the boards, Amherst's Natalie Fu picked up the puck by the right circle and sent it towards the net. Off the rebound, Lester controlled the puck in the low slot and sent a wrist shot into the back of the net with 4:59 left in the first period. 
• At 13:21 in the second period, Mammoth Bea Flynn captured the puck by the boards and handed it off to Anna Baxter to bring up the ice. Baxter skated into Worcester's left circle and found Abban stationed at the slot for a one-timer shot for the second goal of the afternoon. 
• Amherst's Julia Weiss scooped the puck up by the Lancer's right corner and dished it off to Mancini for her to circle around and lift the puck into the back of the net with 5:54 remaining in the second period. 
• After receiving a pass from Maeve Reynolds, Marie-Eve Marleau skated up the right side of the ice all the way to Worcester's right circle. Marleau centered it to Xu by the left post for the finishing touch, and the final goal of the match with 5:02 remaining in regulation. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Amherst out shot Worcester State 76-9. 
• The Mammoths won 36 of the 52 face-offs, with Baxter winning 14 of the 16 she took, and Reynolds 10 of her 13. 
• Amherst went 0-2 on power plays, and received no penalties. 
• In the first two periods Natalie Stott saved all of the 8 shots she faced on net. In the final period, Kaila Bush saved a shot on net - the only that the Lancers had while Bush was in net.