AMHERST, Mass. – First-year midfielder Mia Raven and sophomore attack Clara Sosa each scored hat tricks as the Amherst College women's lacrosse team pulled away late in a back-and-forth game for a 12-9 victory over Connecticut College on a rainy Wednesday evening in NESCAC action on Pratt Field at Lehrman Stadium.

The Mammoths, ranked 16th in the nation in the latest IWLCA Division III poll, improved to 6-5 overall and 3-4 in NESCAC play. The Camels fell to 6-6 with a 2-6 mark in the NESCAC.

The Mammoths are back in action on Saturday, visiting Bates for a NESCAC tilt at noon.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Mammoths got on the board first with a free-position goal from sophomore Sofia Guttmann but sophomore Kate Coughlin answered for the Camels, scoring the next three goals to give the Camels a two-goal lead.

* That two goal lead was the largest that either team managed until the fourth quarter as the two squads went back and forth for most of the contest. Sosa and first-year Emma Crotty scored less than a minute apart to level the score at 3-3 in the second quarter.

* Each team netted two more free-position goals before halftime as junior Emma Ognibene and Coughlin scored for the Camels and Sosa tallied a pair for the Mammoths to keep the score tied at 5-5 through halftime.

* The teams continued to trade goals in the fourth. Coughlin's fifth of the game put the Camels back on top but sophomore Bridget Finley tied the game again with a free-position goal in a player-down situation. Sophomore Campbell Johnston restored the lead for the Camels until another Finley goal evened the score once again.

* Raven gave the Mammoths their first lead of the second half late in the third quarter with a player-up tally but junior Aine Downey opened the fourth quarter with a goal for the Camels to tie the score at 8-8.

* Raven spurred the decisive offensive outburst in the fourth quarter with a pair of goals 12 seconds apart. After converting on a free-position opportunity, Raven won the ensuing draw and went straight to the goal to score her third of the game and give Amherst a 10-8 lead.

* Guttmann increased the lead with an impressive tally, maneuvering past at least four defenders before slipping in an underhanded shot to give the Mammoths a three-goal edge. The sophomore then set up junior Elizabeth Rose for her second goal of the season.



BY THE NUMBERS:

* In addition to scoring her third hat trick of the season, Raven controlled eight draws and picked up four ground balls.

* Finley scored two goals to extend her goal-scoring streak to six games with 14 goals in that stretch.

* The Camels outshot the Mammoths, 22-18, and had an 18-14 edge in shots on goal, but sophomore Jessye Salmon made nine saves to earn the win for Amherst.

* Coughlin scored six goals to lead the Camels.