MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- The Amherst College men's lacrosse team scored four goals on its first shots of its Little 3 showdown with #19 Wesleyan University Wednesday night, and netted seven goals in the game's first 13 minutes, but ultimately saw the Cardinals pull away for a 21-14 victory on Citrin Field. 

Brock Gonzalez scored a game-high five goals for the Mammoths while Tanyr Krummenacher dished out a game-high five assists. PJ Clementi (two goals, three assists) also recorded a five-point game for Amherst.

The #20th-ranked Mammoths fell to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play while the Cardinals improved to 7-2 overall, 3-2 in the NESCAC. Amherst plays host to Colby Saturday on Gooding Field for a 1 p.m. start.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Clementi and Gonzalez each scored within the first 2 1/2 minutes of the first quarter Wednesday for a 2-0 lead. 

* Tied 4-4 late in the first quarter, Carter Tate spurred a three-goal outburst for the Mammoths, scoring off an Krummenacher assist with 4:06 left in the first frame for a 5-4 lead. With 2:16 remaining, John Fitzhenry found the back of the goal off a pass from Ethan Opdahl. Only 12 seconds later off a face-off win, Nicholas Kopp scored off a Ben Bruno feed for a 7-4 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. 

* Wesleyan would score the first four goals of the second quarter to take an 8-7 lead. Clementi tied it with a score mid-way through the quarter, A Gonzalez goal off a pass from Clementi with 4:17 remaining would tie the game for the last time at 9-9. Wesleyan scored the quarter with three straight goals to take a 12-9 halftime lead. 

* The Cardinals scored the only four goals of the third quarter to build a 16-9 lead despite being outshot by the Mammoths over the 15 minutes, 9-8. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

*  Amherst held a 45-40 shot advantage for the game. Wesleyan held small advantages in face-offs wins (21-17) and groundballs (34-31). 

* Ryan Rahbany and Kopp led the Mammoths with six groundballs each. Rahbany had six of the Mammoths' eight caused turnovers in the game. 

* Rob Williamson (4) and Carson Marano (5) combined for nine saves in goal for Amherst.