BRUNSWICK, ME -- Amherst College senior goaltender Natalie Stott recorded her 40th career shutout Saturday afternoon while Sami Lester and Marie-Eve Marleau backed her effort with one goal eac as the #2-ranked Amerst College women's ockey team completed a sweep of conference rival Bowdoin, 2-0.
With the win, the Mammoths improved to 14-1-3 overall and 7-0-3 in conference play. The win allowed the Mammoths to take over first place in te conference standings. Amherst will host Colby Friday night at 7 p.m.
Stott is the first Div. III goaltender to reach 40 career shutouts and extended her NCAA all-time mark with her seventh of the season.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
Amherst put together a disciplined, defensively sound performance Saturday afternoon, earning a 2–0 shutout victory over Bowdoin in a tightly contested matchup. Goals from Sami Lester and Marie-Eve Marleau, along with a composed shutout in net from Natalie Stott, powered the Mammoths past the Polar Bears.
From the opening face-off, the game settled into a physical, possession-heavy battle. Amherst controlled the first draw and quickly established its forecheck, while Bowdoin tested Stott early with shots in the opening two minutes. Stott responded calmly, turning aside each early attempt and setting the tone for the afternoon.
The first period featured long stretches of back-and-forth play, with both teams trading chances and faceoff wins. Amherst generated quality looks through Annabel Raffin, Gretchen Dann, and Siena Harris, while Bowdoin countered with chances from Emma Merrill and Anyi Sun. Goaltending stood tall at both ends, as Sarah Peterson matched Stott save for save through the opening half of the period.
Bowdoin earned the game's first power play at 7:03, but Amherst's penalty kill answered with aggressive pressure and shot blocking, highlighted by a key block from Lester. Just minutes later, Bowdoin went back to the advantage after a too-many-players call, yet again came up empty as Stott tracked shots cleanly and Amherst cleared the zone repeatedly.
Amherst finally broke through late in the opening frame. At 16:16, Lester scored the first goal of the game, finishing a well-worked sequence off assists from Junfei (Tammy) Zhu and Siena Harris. The goal rewarded Amherst's sustained pressure and gave the Mammoths a 1–0 lead heading into the final minutes of the period.
The Mammoths carried that momentum into the second period, immediately going on the power play to start the frame and generating several quality chances. Although Amherst was unable to convert, the pressure continued as the Mammoths outshot Bowdoin and spent extended time in the offensive zone.
The middle period featured another stretch of strong defensive play from Amherst. Bowdoin earned a power play at 3:20, but the Mammoths again shut it down, limiting the Polar Bears to blocked or low-percentage shots. Amherst continued to roll all four lines, creating chances from the point and the slot while forcing Peterson into multiple saves to keep the score at 1–0.
Despite Amherst's territorial advantage, the second period ended without a change on the scoreboard, setting up a tense final 20 minutes.
The Mammoths wasted little time adding insurance in the third. After drawing a Bowdoin penalty early in the period, Amherst capitalized at 9:14 when Marleau buried her first goal of the season. Assisted by Dann and Maeve Reynolds, the goal doubled Amherst's lead and shifted control firmly to the home side.
With a 2–0 advantage, Amherst locked in defensively. Bowdoin pushed for a response, generating several late chances, but Stott remained flawless, turning aside shots from Bella Mele, Anyi Sun, and Emma Merrill during a late surge. Amherst's skaters added crucial blocks in the closing minutes, including another key stop by Dann, to preserve the shutout.
Bowdoin pulled its goalie in the final minute, but Amherst closed out the contest with smart clears and tight positioning, sealing the 2–0 victory at the horn.
Stott finished the afternoon with a shutout performance, anchoring a defensive effort that limited Bowdoin throughout all three periods. With goals from Lester and Marleau and contributions spread across the lineup, Amherst delivered a complete, composed performance on both sides of the puck.
