MIDDLEBURY, VT. -- Natalie Stott made 26 saves and the 5th-ranked Amherst College women's hockey team received goals by Natalie Fu, Emily Hohmann and Bea Flynn to skate past rival Williams College, 3-0, in a NESCAC Tournament semifinal contest played at Middlebury College's Chip Keynon '85 Arena Saturday night.

Amherst will face Colby at 2 p.m. Sunday in the NESCAC championship game back at Middlebury's Kenyon Arena. The Mammoths improved to 18-2-6 while the Ephs fall to 17-4-5. 

The Mammoths will be vying for their 7th NESCAC Tournament championship. They are the defending champions having won last year, 2023, 2020, 2010, 2008 and 2007.

With Saturday's win Stott, who posted her Div. III leading 10th shutout of the season, became the all-time goaltender wins leader in Div. III history with the 83rd win of her career.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The opening period set the tone for a tightly contested rivalry matchup. Amherst generated several early chances, including a shot off the post from Marie-Eve Marleau just four minutes into the game. Ayla Abban, Cara Mancini, and Flynn also tested Williams goalie Erin Pye during a strong first-period push.

* Williams responded with a brief surge midway through the period, but Stott stood tall in net, stopping attempts from Zoe Rosenberg and Leah Rubinshteyn while Amherst defenders consistently blocked shots in front. Despite steady pressure from both sides, the period ended scoreless.

* The Mammoths broke through in the second.

* After a sustained offensive sequence, Natalie Fu opened the scoring at 7:07. Annabel Raffin and Sami Lester created the opportunity, and Fu finished the play, backhanding a loose puck in the slot past Pye for her 5th goal of the season to give Amherst a 1–0 lead.

* Amherst continued to control possession throughout the remainder of the period. Flynn, Calleigh Brown, and Gretchen Dann each generated chances, but Pye kept the Ephs within one heading into the third.

* The Mammoths created separation in the final frame.

* At 8:46 of the third, Hohmann doubled the Amherst lead. Maeve Reynolds and Cara Mancini combined to set up the play, and Hohmann buried her third goal of the season to make it 2–0.

From there, Amherst leaned on its defensive structure. Williams pushed late, pulling Pye for the extra attacker with just over two minutes remaining, but Stott and the Amherst defense held firm.

Flynn sealed the result with an empty-net goal at 19:31, her sixth of the season, putting the finishing touch on the 3–0 victory.

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Amherst outshot Williams, 42-26. 

* Williams won 41 of 80 face-offs. Calleigh Brown won 13 of the 19 she drew for Amherst.

* Amherst killed of all three Williams' power-play opportunities.