Contact: Justin Long

CLINTON, N.Y. – An unassisted goal by Sarah Canning '14 (Cos Cob, Conn.) would not be enough to keep the Amherst College field hockey team's undefeated record intact, as the Lord Jeffs suffered a 2-1 setback at Hamilton College Saturday afternoon at Campus Road Athletic Field. 

Amherst—ranked 12th in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll—moves to 4-1 (3-1 NESCAC) on the season, while the Continentals improve to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play. 

Saturday marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs, as this is Hamilton's first season as a member of the NESCAC in field hockey. 

Rachel Tannenbaum '15 (Berwyn, Pa.) began the week leading all of Division III in goals-against average and save percentage, but Hamilton got two shots past Amherst's first-year standout in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Mary Lancaster got things going for the hosts by scoring 1:57 after the opening whistle, with the assist going to Caitlin Livsey. 

Hamilton pushed its lead to 2-0 at the 9:53 mark when Nikki Haskins put home an unassisted goal for her third tally of the season. 

Canning cut the Jeffs' deficit in half by recording an unassisted goal with 9:20 remaining in the first half, but that would be the final score of the game. 

The Lord Jeffs controlled the second half by holding a 7-4 advantage in shots and a 4-1 edge in penalty corners, but goalkeeper Victoria Trentini preserved Hamilton's lead to finish with eight saves in the win. Tannenbaum had eight stops of her own, moving her save percentage to a solid .912 on the year. 

The Lord Jeffs will return to action Wednesday, Sept. 28, when they travel to Mount Holyoke College for a 7 p.m. game.