SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Powered by goals from 11 different players and a game-best six assists from senior Mia Haughton, Amherst College defeated Mount Holyoke College, 18-4 on Wednesday evening. With the win, eighth-ranked Amherst moves to 10-2 on the year, while the Lyons slip to 2-10 overall.

The visitors were paced by three-goal efforts from sophomore midfielder Kelly Karczewski (Darien, Conn./Darien) and junior middie Claire Cagnassola (Summit, N.J./Oak Knoll). Sophomore attacks Mary Grace Cronin (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) and Julia Crerend (New Canaan, Conn./Loomis Chaffee) each added two goals and an assist, while senior attack Rachel Passarelli (Hamden, Conn./Hopkins) had a pair of tallies. Haughton had a game-best six assists with a goal and a team-high two caused turnovers.

Senior midfielder Devin O'Connor (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) posted a game-best four ground balls, while Karczewski and Cagnassola each had a game-high three draw controls. In goal, senior Christy Forrest (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) played 30 minutes of action with no saves. Sophomore Kyra Gardner (Darien, Conn./Darien) played 25:13 of the second half with no stops, while first year Katie Savage (Hebron, Conn./Westminster) played the final 4:47 and made one stop.

For the Lyons, senior captain and midfielder/attack Julia Bell (Longmeadow, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson) scored all four goals on a game-best six shots. She also had two draw controls, two ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers. Sophomore midfielder Leila Kouakou (Leeds, Mass./Northampton), senior captain and attack Catherine Ryan (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) and first year midfielder Haley Subocz (Northampton, Mass./Northampton) each posted an assist.

Sophomore midfielder Kaitlin Braz (Tolland, Conn./East Catholic) recorded game-high with four ground balls and three caused turnovers, while junior defender Alyssa Tabrisky (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif./Kent School (Conn.) added a pair of caused turnovers. In goal, junior Isa Rodriguez (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville School) recorded four saves over 54:11 of action, while sophomore Clarissa Leight (Austin, Texas/Liberal Arts & Science Academy) played the final 5:49 with no saves.

Amherst opened the game scoring with a flurry, taking a 4-0 lead in the opening eight minutes, which included a pair of goals from Passarelli. The Lyons countered as Bell scored off a quick pass from Ryan, but the visitors found the momentum again with four straight goals – two off the stick of Karczewski. Bell once again found the back of the net with 13:06 to play in the half, but a 4-0 run soon after put Amherst up by a 12-2 margin.

Holding a 12-3 lead after the opening half, Amherst continued to build its advantage as Cagnassola notched her third of the game and first year middie Sabrina Solow (Madison, N.J./Oak Knoll) punched one in at the 23:57 mark.

Bell answered with her fourth of the contest off a solid feed from Kouakou, but four straight goals went in the favor of the visitors to seal the game.

Amherst held a 30-7 advantage in shots, also edging the Lyons in ground balls, 21-17. The visitors also owned a 15-8 margin in draw controls. Amherst was near perfect on the clear, going 11-13, while MHC was 10-16 overall.

Prior to the game, the Lyons recognized the graduating seniors for both teams, including their own four seniors in Bell, Ryan, defender Nicole Perkins (Mashpee, Mass./Mashpee) and attacker Katherine Kayser-Hirsh (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional).

Mount Holyoke travels to Wellesley on Saturday for a 1pm NEWMAC game, while Amherst heads to Williams for a 12pm NESCAC contest, also on Saturday.