AMHERST, Mass. – The Class of 2026 announced its presence as first-years scored all seven Mammoths goals in their collegiate debuts to lead the Amherst College women's lacrosse team to a 7-6 win over Hamilton College in Sunday's season opener for both NESCAC squads on Pratt Field at Lehrman Stadium.

Mammoths Head Coach Brooke O'Brien '03 won her debut at the helm of the Amherst program. The Mammoths are back in action on Tuesday (March 7) with a visit to Western Massachusetts rival Springfield for a 6 p.m. opening draw.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* After Hamilton first-year Sarah Creamer put the Continentals on the board first with a goal in her collegiate debut, the Mammoths answered as senior Sydney Larsen won a battle for a loose ball and dished to first-year Clara Sosa, who scored her first collegiate goal, leveling the score at 1-1 after the first quarter.

* A full 15 minutes of play elapsed before the next goal was scored and it was Sosa again, capitalizing on a man-up opportunity to give the Mammoths a 2-1 lead.

* The Continentals reclaimed the lead with a pair of man-up goals late in the second quarter as sophomore Aine Cleary and junior Julia Fornasar netted goals to give Hamilton a 3-2 halftime lead.

* Fornasar struck again midway through the third quarter to give Hamilton a 4-2 lead, but the Mammoths responded with a string of four unanswered goals.

* Sosa scored on a free-position shot to complete a hat trick and bring the Mammoths back within one, then first-year Sofia Guttmann scored twice in the final three minutes of the third quarter to give the Mammoths a 5-4 lead.

* Emily Petersen became the third Amherst first-year to put her name on the scoresheet, opening the fourth quarter with a goal as she took a pass from Larsen and deposited it in the back of the net.

* The Continentals came back to tie the score as Creamer and junior Alana King scored to tie the game at 6-6 with 4:38 to play.

* First-year Bridget Finley scored the decisive goal with 2:14 to play when she was awarded a free-position shot and scored her first collegiate goal.



BY THE NUMBERS:

* The rookie romp continued in net for the Mammoths as first-year Jessye Salmon got the start and made seven saves to win her collegiate debut.

* Senior Colleen Mooney picked up five ground balls and caused two turnovers for the Mammoths.

* Many of the stats were as evenly matched as the final score. The Mammoths held a slim 20-19 edge in shots, though the Continentals had a 13-11 advantage in shots on goal. Amherst won the ground ball battle, 23-19.