AMHERST, MA. – Despite three-goal performances from Emma Crotty and Bridget Finley, the No. 17-ranked Amherst College women's lacrosse team dropped their first Little Three matchup of the season on Tuesday, April 2. Taking on top-10 ranked Wesleyan on Gooding Field, the Mammoths fell to the Cardinals 17-8.

With the loss the Mammoths dropped to 4-5 this season, while Wesleyan improved to 6-2. The Mammoths will load the busses for a trip to Williams on to close out Little Three play on Saturday, April 6, hoping to rebound. The contest against the Ephs will begin at 1 p.m.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
 
* The Mammoths opened the scoring just 45 seconds into the contest. After working the ball around the outside, Clara Sosa found Emma Crotty cutting to goal from the left side, and the first year hit paydirt on her first shot of the day to give Amherst a 1-0 advantage.
 
* Unfortunately, that momentum did not last, as the Cardinals bounced back, tying the game just over a minute later and using that goal to take control, starting a run of seven unanswered goals across the rest of the first and the beginning of the second quarter to take a 7-1 lead.
 
* The next Mammoth goal was scored by Ella Shay, who opened her account to break the Amherst scoring drought. Again working the ball around the outside, Rachel Rodgers found a wide open Shay coming from behind the net, and the first year converted from close range to narrow the deficit to five. Another Wesleyan goal followed, Finley got her first of the day, and a final Cardinal goal finished the half with the Mammoths down 9-3.
 
* The teams traded tallies to open the second half. Amherst started with a goal --- Finley stayed hot during the break, netting her second off a pass from Kate Becker at X. After the Cardinals netted, the sophomore got her third of the game to keep the deficit at 5. However, two more Wesleyan goals closed the third with the Mammoths trailing 12-5.
 
* Five minutes into the final quarter, Crotty potted her second off an assist from Becker; Becker beat her defender with speed and found a wide open Crotty for the goal when the sole Cardinal defender came over to help. That combo cashed in once again just minutes later, when they responded to a Wesleyan goal with one of their own by way of the first year to make it 14-7.
 
* Becker got a goal of her own as a reward her for her play-making skills with a free-position marker. But, that goal proved to be their last of the night as three goals from the away side closed out the scoring and shut the door on a potential comeback, with the Mammoths falling 17-8.
 
BY THE NUMBERS:

* Becker led all Amherst scorers with four points, on one goal and three assists. Crotty and Finley tallied three goals each. Shay's goal was the first of her collegiate career.

* Jessye Salmon made a career-high 14 saves against the Cardinals, anchoring a defense that played well all night despite the score line.  
 
* Crotty led the team in draw controls with six, while four different Mammoths recorded two ground balls each: Crotty, Salmon, Mia Raven, and Brynn Korpi.