AMHERST, Mass. – Senior Justine Liguori and first-year Bella Kim each found the back of the net in the contest's final quarter, leading the Amherst College field hockey team to overcome a one-goal deficit for a 2-1 final score against Trinity College on Saturday night at Hill Field.
Amherst closed the regular season with an 8-7 record and a 4-6 finish in NESCAC play. Trinity finished 3-12 overall and 1-9 in the conference. The Mammoths clinched the eighth seed in the NESCAC Tournament and will travel to Medford to face No. 1 seed Tufts University at 12 p.m. on Saturday at Ounjian Field.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
*Amherst won its first corner in the sixth minute of the first quarter, setting up senior Anna Aiello for a slap shot at the top of the arch, but the shot arched into a web of Bantam sticks.
*The Mammoths continued to dominate possession inside Trinity's half for the rest of the quarter, but strong defense from the Bantams, including a well-pressured turnover on Amherst's second corner in the fourteenth minute, kept both sides scoreless.
*Following a back-and-forth second quarter, Trinity pushed into the lead on a corner awarded in the final 30 seconds of the half. Down one player, sophomore Julia Lambert slotted to junior Gracie Bookbinder, who took a few touches into the middle of the circle, then found first-year Alison Gerber at the left post. The forward sank the ball into the top right corner of the frame to give Trinity a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
*Under one minute into the third quarter, Liguori sank a backhand shot toward the left post. Senior goaltender Hayley Gable sent the ball away with an outstretched leg.
*Sophomore goaltender Kate Grady made a strong diving save five minutes into the third quarter, blocking a deflected shot from sophomore Riley Harrington.
*Grady continued to showcase strong goalkeeping from inside the iron six minutes later. On a corner set-piece that set up a left-flank shot from junior Brooke Dibiase, Grady made a kicking save to keep the Bantams from extending their lead.
*Amherst broke through in the third minute of the final quarter as a corner gave Liguori the opportunity to settle a blocked shot in front of the goal and fire the ball into the cage.
*The Mammoths' offense reignited three minutes later with what proved to be the game-winning goal. Amherst's dangerous penalty corner unit reemerged to slot Kim the ball at the top of the circle, who rocketed the ball through a web of players and into the back of the net to push Amherst past Trinity at 2-1.
*Amherst managed the game for the rest of the quarter, relegating the Bantams to zero shots for the final nine minutes of action.
By The Numbers:
*Amherst held an offensive advantage against Trinity, leading 12-6 in shots, 10-3 in shots on goal, and 6-3 in penalty corners taken.
*Aiello and Liguori tied for the most shots taken of any player on the pitch, firing 3 each. Liguori led for the most shots on goal, shooting all 3 on target.
*Grady made 2 saves across 60 minutes of play, while Gable made 8 saves across 56 minutes.
