Field Hockey’s Win Streak Ended by Bantams

This week, No. 4 Amherst field hockey finished their regular season with 12 wins after a 4-0 win against Smith on Wednesday, Oct. 19, a 3-2 win against Hamilton on Saturday, Oct. 22, and a 2-1 overtime loss to Trinity on Tuesday Oct. 25.

Within the first five minutes of the Smith contest, senior Natalie Hobbs ’23E set up Muffie Mazambani ’24 at the top of the circle for the first goal of the game. Then, a defensive clearance by Kate Smith ’25 found Sam Maynard ’25, who put in her own rebound after an initial save for a 2-0 lead. After halftime, Amherst sealed their win with two more goals in the third quarter: Maynard scored her second of the game just five minutes into the second half, and Abbey Kays ’25 ripped a shot into the lower left corner off a Mazambani penalty corner to close out the scoring just two minutes later and seal the 4-0 win.

They extended their winning streak on Saturday, Oct. 22, against Hamilton. The Mammoths took an early lead — in the first minute, Kays scored off another penalty corner. And toward the end of the quarter, they got their second via Maynard: Justine Ligouri ’26 sent the ball through the Continentals’ circle to a wide-open Maynard, who put it into an open goal for the 2-0 lead. Undeterred, Hamilton scored twice in the second half to tie the game early in the fourth. But just three minutes later the Mammoths got the game-winner. After passes from Sage Geyer ’23E and Kays, Mazambani finished the play to shut the door for good.

However, the Mammoths’ win streak ended on Tuesday against No. 6 Trinity, falling 2-1 in a heartbreaker. Trinity scored first, striking early in the third quarter, but the Mammoths tied the game with five minutes to go: Hobbs sent the ball into the arc, where Anna Aiello ’26 put it away to send the game to overtime. However, it was not the Mammoths’ day, as the Bantams scored eight minutes into extra time and sent them home with their first loss in 10 games.

Seeded fourth, the Mammoths will look to extend their season in the NESCAC tournament at home against rival Williams on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 11 a.m.