AMHERST, MA. -- It's a spot Amherst College senior Gretchen Dann has proved comfortable with time and time again. A big game. An extra period. A clutch moment. She was made for this.
Dann's goal 2:36 into overtime Saturday completed the 4th-ranked Amherst College women's hockey team's comeback over the College of Saint Benedict and sent the Mammoths into the Div. 3 Quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season with a 2-1 victory.
Amherst improved to 20-2-6 on the season and will host Elmira Saturday, March 21st, in an NCAA Div. III quarterfinal contest at Orr Rink beginning at 3 p.m.
Game Highlights:
* Amherst controlled much of the pace early in the opening period, generating steady pressure in the offensive zone. Gretchen Dann fired multiple early shots, while Ayla Abban and Bea Flynn also tested Saint Benedict goaltender Lexi Badali. The Mammoths earned several power-play opportunities in the period and created chances from Annabel Raffin, Emily Hohmann, and Junfei (Tammy) Zhu, but Badali kept the game scoreless with a series of saves.
* At the other end, senior goaltender Natalie Stott turned away attempts from Merrill Delich and Presley Kraemer, while Amherst defenders stepped into shooting lanes to block key shots and limit second chances.
* Saint Benedict broke through early in the second period while on the power-play.
* Just 40 seconds into the frame, Jorja Jusczak scored to give the Bennies a 1–0 lead. Chloe Lewis and Shae Stinnett assisted on the play after Saint Benedict carried over a power-play opportunity from the end of the first period.
* Amherst pushed to respond throughout the second period, generating a series of shots from Abban, Calleigh Brown, and Marie-Eve Marleau. Maeve Reynolds also created several looks in front of the net during sustained offensive pressure, but Badali continued to keep the Mammoths off the scoreboard.
* Stott held the deficit at one with several strong saves during a Saint Benedict surge midway through the period, stopping attempts from Jusczak and Avery Kasick to keep Amherst within striking distance.
* The Mammoths finally broke through in the third period.
* At 7:28, Ayla Abban tied the game 1–1, finishing a play set up by Calleigh Brown and Bea Flynn. The goal ignited Amherst's attack, and the Mammoths continued to press for the go-ahead score with chances from Sami Lester, Annabel Raffin, and Dann.
* Saint Benedict also generated late opportunities, but Stott remained steady in net, turning aside attempts from Helena Siska and Jamie Bimberg as regulation ended with the score even.
* In overtime, both teams traded early chances before Amherst found the decisive moment.
* After several face-offs deep in the offensive zone, Fu delivered a pass to Dann, who finished the opportunity at 2:36 to give Amherst the 2–1 win and send the Mammoths into the next round of the national tournament.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* Amherst outshot Saint Benedict, 45-25. Baldali finished with 43 saves while Stott made 24 while picking up her 85th career victory, an NCAA D3 record.
* Amherst was 0 for 4 on the power-play, the Bennies 1 for 2.
* Amherst won 35 of 62 face-offs, with Reynolds winning 14 of 26 and Brown 9 of 14.
