SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Junior forward Sara Culhane recorded a hat-trick to lead 12th-ranked Amherst College to a 5-0 victory over 18th-ranked Mount Holyoke College in non-conference action on Tuesday evening. The Jeffs are now 1-0, while the Lyons slip to 1-2 on the season.
Amherst opened the scoring early as senior forward Katie Paolano (Lloyd Harbor, N.Y./Cold Spring Harbor) pounded in her own rebound just 2:08 into the game. Culhane (Titusville, N.J./The Lawrenceville School) then responded in the 29th minute as a shot from Paolano was saved and banked just right, allowing her to knock it in at the right post.
Mount Holyoke was held to just two shots in the opening half of action and just two attempts on the penalty corner. Amherst notched nine shots in the opening half, including seven corners.
The Jeffs continued to gain momentum in the second half as Culhane scored in the 44th minute. Senior midfielder Annie Turnbull (Harding Township, N.J./Kent Place) earned the assist after her shot from the top of the circle, landed on Culhane's stick, who turned and fired it in on the left side.
Senior forward Annika Nygren (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury) made it a 4-0 game in the 55th minute. Turnbull earned her second assist of the night after her shot from the right side, sailed through traffic and under the reach of the Lyons' goalie. Nygren was there at the left corner to bury it into the open net.
The Jeffs added a fifth goal in the 62nd minute as Culhane scored off a pass from Paolano. Mount Holyoke had its chances in the second half of action, including a blistering shot by Sarah LaQuerre (Old Orchard Beach, Maine/Cheverus) off the corner, which was batted away by Jeffs' goalie Emily Horwitz (Wilmington, Del./Wilmington Friends School).
Amherst posted a 22-8 shot advantage in the contest, including an 11-4 edge in penalty corners. In goal, Horowitz made five saves to earn the win. MHC's Liz DiCesare (Westford, Mass./Bishop Guertin) made 12 stops, while sophomore defender Julia Lankin (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) was credited with a defensive save.
The Lyons return to the field on Saturday, traveling to Castleton State University for a 12pm game. Amherst is also in action on Saturday, hosting Bowdoin in the NESCAC opener for both teams at 12pm.
