THE BASICS:
 
- Score: No. 12 Amherst College 3, No. 14 MIT 0
 
- Records: No. 14 MIT (5-2); No. 12 Amherst (3-2)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Jack Barry Field)
 
- The Lead: Two goals in the third quarter helped nationally-ranked No. 12 Amherst College defeat No. 14 MIT, 3-0, in a non-conference field hockey game on Wednesday night. Muffie Mazambani scored twice while Beth Williamson earned two assists for the Mammoths.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
- Amherst opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Williamson sent a pass to the middle of the circle. In a scrum in front of the goal, Mazambani deflected the ball to the far post. The Mammoths almost extended their lead a few minutes later when Kat Mason sent a throughball which Jackie D'Alleva chased down. With just MIT senior goalie Kiely Smiga-McManus (Etna, N.H.) to get past, D'Alleva's shot sailed over the cage.
 
- The second quarter was a midfield battle as Amherst generated the lone shot of the frame. MIT had a chance to tie the game during final seconds of the period with a potential three-on-one situation. Senior Paige Forester (Glencoe, Ill.) eluded a defender and passed the ball just inside the top of the arc. Senior Erica Radler (Wayne, N.J.) attempted to collect the ball but she was met by goalie Sara Nidus as time expired while senior Liberty Ladd (Falmouth, Maine) was waiting at the far post.
 
- On the Mammoths' first penalty corner of the game, Mazambani increased the lead to 2-0 after connecting on passes from Williamson and Sage Geyer in the 36^th minute. During the next four minutes, Ladd put two shots on goal as the Engineers earned a pair of penalty corners. However, Amherst found the back of the cage in the 45^th minute when Abbey Kays, standing in the middle of the arc, sent a sweeping shot to the near post.
 
- Despite the deficit MIT continued to attack in the fourth quarter as it was awarded four penalty corners while first-year Bailey McIntyre (Concord, Mass.) generated a shot that was blocked. On the defensive end, the Engineers did not allow a shot or a penalty corner.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 
- Smiga-McManus and sophomore Anna Duncan (St. Louis, Mo.) shared goaltending duties for MIT, however, neither recorded a save.
 
- Nidus posted two saves for Amherst.
 
- The Mammoths had a slight edge in shots (6-5) and shots on goal (3-2) while the Engineers had the upper hand in penalty corners (8-2).
 
UP NEXT:
 
- Both teams resume conference play on Saturday, Sept. 24. MIT will host NEWMAC foe Springfield College at 1:00 p.m. while Amherst will travel to No. 11 Bates College for an 11:00 a.m. NESCAC match up.
 
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