AMHERST, Mass. (January 8, 2025) – The Golden Bears were back in action Thursday in Amherst, Massachusetts, against the Mammoths. Amherst got out to a quick two-goal lead after the first period of play. They would score a goal in each of the other two periods of play and win the game 4-0 to spoil WNE's opening game of 2026.

Records:
Western New England: 7-5-0 (5-3-0)
Amherst College: 8-0-2 (2-0-2)

How it Happened:
First Period:

• The Mammoths started the game with fury, taking four of the first five shots of the game. Rachael Irving, in goal for WNE, had to get to work quickly, making save after save.
• The Golden Bears responded with a few shots versus Amherst's goalie, Natalie Stott, before the Mammoths went on a nine-shot run. The pressure mounted against WNE, and with 4:06 left in the opening period of play, Calleigh Brown netted the game's first goal off assists from Ayla Abban and Clare O'Connor. Amherst led 1-0.
• WNE was called for a penalty late in the first period. Natalie Fu capitalized for Amherst and scored on the power play chance. Annabel Raffin was credited with the assist. WNE trailed 2-0.
• WNE was outshot 21-3 on goal during the first period of play. Amherst had thirty total shots to WNE's nine. Amherst also controlled the faceoff spot, winning nine of twelve.

Second Period:

• WNE settled into the game in the second. After Amherst had four of the opening five shots once again, WNE picked up three consecutive shots, and then WNE had five shots in a row before earning their first power play chance of the contest. WNE could not capitalize.
• WNE would have a second power play later in the second, but was only able to get two shots during the chance. Amherst answered the two WNE power plays with twelve consecutive shots, including their third goal of the evening. Emily Hohmann was the goal-scorer this time. Clara Cumming and Sami Lester assisted the goal. Amherst led 3-0.
• Amherst ended the middle period of play by collecting twelve of the final fourteen shots and earned a power play chance, which would carry over into the final period of play.
• WNE matched Amherst with thirteen shots on goal during the second, but were still outshot in total shots 30-24. They also could not match Amherst in the faceoff circle as Amherst won that battle again, 15-9.

Third Period:

• The third saw WNE kill off the penalty that ended the second period of play and pick up one of their own. However, no shots were taken by WNE on the power play. Amherst had all the momentum, though, and it showed through eleven consecutive shots to open the final period of play.
• That run of shots all culminated with Bea Flynn's goal for the Mammoths. That fourth goal for Amherst was assisted by Maeve Reynolds and Gretchen Dann, giving Amherst the commanding 4-0 lead that they eventually held.
• WNE did not show any quit as they still fought hard. They earned a power play and traded shots with the Mammoths. The teams went back and forth with Irving and Stott trading saves.
• Amherst picked up another power play chance in the third, but WNE and Irving contained the Mammoths and kept the deficit at four. The teams traded shots for a lot of the rest of the third period. Amherst had one final power play shut down by WNE, and Stott would make one final save with 22 seconds left to secure the 4-0 shutout victory for Amherst.
• Amherst ended the game with more shots on goal, 49-23, total shots, 88-42, and faceoff wins, 33-16. WNE had more saves, 46-23.

Inside the Crease:

• WNE fell to Amherst 4-0 on the road.
• Natalie Stott made 23 saves to secure the shutout victory for Amherst.
• Amherst had four different goal-scorers: Calleigh Brown, Natalie Fu, Emily Hohmann, and Bea Flynn.
• Emily Hohmann was the only Mammoth to have a +/- over one, with a +2 on the ice.
• Rachael Irving had a .920 save percentage, saving 46 shots.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The team will return to the Olympia Ice Center for their first home game of 2026. They will host SUNY Oswego at 5:10 PM on Saturday, January 10, 2026.