No. 13 Amherst Blanks Women's Soccer in NCAA First Round

AMHERST, Mass. – The No. 13 Amherst College women's soccer team scored three goals in the first half, and four different players found the back of the net, as the Purple & White earned a 4-0 victory over Lasell College in NCAA Division III Championship First Round action Saturday afternoon at Hitchcock Field.

The Lasers close out the 2016 campaign carrying a program-best 18 wins, ending at 18-3-1 overall.

With the win Amherst improves to 16-2-1 overall, and advances to the NCAA Second Round Sunday, Nov. 13 at Hitchcock Field beginning at 1:30 p.m. The Purple & White will take on Swarthmore College after the Garnet edged Misericordia University, 2-1 in other First Round action Saturday afternoon.

Amherst controlled the pace of play in the first half, getting a good look at goal three minutes into action as Emily Hester '17 created a solid scoring opportunity but sent the ball over the crossbar.

Rubii Tamen '19 continued to find a scoring edge for the Purple & White as she buried the ball in the back of the net at the 7:32 mark following a Hannah Guzzi '18 assist to give Amherst a 1-0 edge.

Maintaining pressure, Tamen nearly scored her second tally of the game three minutes later as Ashlyn Heller '17 sent a pass toward the Lasers' net where Tamen gained inside position on a defender and fired a shot far post, but goalkeeper Sarah LaClair made a phenomenal diving save to keep Lasell's deficit at 1-0.

Heller doubled the score just over the 12-minute mark as she ripped a shot on target just outside the 18-yard box that was deflected off LaClair's hands. Heller followed her shot, gathered the rebound, and sent the ball into the nylon to give Amherst a 2-0 edge.

The Lasers' best scoring chance was created 22 minutes into the game as Devon Day beat an Amherst defender and forced Chelsea Cutler '19 to come out of the net. Day sent the ball toward a wide open net before Cutler could make the save, but Megan Root was there to make an incredible defensive save and keep the Purple & White ahead by two goals.

A goal threat all year, Guzzi collected her 16th marker of the 2016 campaign with a long ball that just missed the tips of LaClair's fingers and landed under the crossbar for Amherst's third score of the half.

Lasell's Carly Zdanek nearly put the Lasers on the scoreboard with three minutes remaining in the half as LaClair collected a save and punted the ball past midfield where Zdanek settled the ball and dribbled up field before ripping a shot, but Cutler turned the attempt aside as the Purple & White maintained their 3-0 lead at intermission.

Amherst continued to be on the front foot early in the second half as the Purple & White logged three shots in the first 1:30 of the second frame.

Despite orchestrating just three scoring opportunities in the second half, Megan Cullen nearly netted a goal for the Lasers on a blasted shot from the top of the 18-yard box with 17 minutes remaining in the game but the ball sailed just above the crossbar.

First-year Sloan Askins tallied Amherst's fourth and final goal of the game when she intercepted the ball in Lasell's territory and drove a shot toward the far left post to help seal the 4-0 victory.

Recap Courtesy of Amherst College Sports Information