WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Two first-half goals from Beth Williamson and Muffie Mazambani helped propel  the 9th-ranked Amherst College Field hockey team to a 3-1 defeat of rival Williams, ranked No. 8, Saturday on Williamson Field on the campus of Williams College. 

Amherst improved to 6-2 overall, 3-2 in the NESCAC. Williams fell to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play with the loss. The Mammoths next take on Conn. College in a conference affair Tuesday at home on Hill Field at 6 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Williamson opened the scoring at the 8:54 mark of the second quarter when she converted a penalty stroke opportunity. Mazambani created the chance when she sped up to an Eph defenders and poked the ball away, creating a breakaway. Williams' goalie broke up the chance but the official called for the penalty stroke. Williamson then made it 1-0 with a quick flick into the goal. 

* Only 3:20 later, it was 2-0 as Mazambani scored. After Kate Smith delivered a 3/4 of the field pass, Mazambani ran by a defender and on the run swatted a beautiful high shot into the far top left corner of the goal.

* Williams came out and controlled much of the play in the third quarter, scoring once to halve the Amherst lead. But the Mammoths responded in the fourth when Paige DiBiase took a pass from Justine Liquori in the circle, circled back around her defender and backhanded a beautiful shot into the left corner of the goal for a 3-1 lead with 4:15 to go in the contest.

BY THE NUMBERS:

*  Williams outshot Amherst 9-7 overall after the Mammoths held a 6-0 lead at the half. Each team was awarded three penalty corners in the game. 

* Junior Sara Nidus made four saves in goal for the Mammoths, all coming in the second half as the Mammoths withstood a Williams comeback attempt.