BOX SCORE

BABSON PARK, Mass. - Nationally-ranked Amherst College scored three unanswered goals to start the game on its way to a 5-3 victory over host Babson College in a non-conference field hockey contest at Babson's MacDowell Field on Thursday night. With the win, the Lady Jeffs, ranked 20th in the country in the most recent NFHCA poll, improved to 6-3 overall, while the Beavers dropped to 7-4 on the season.

Babson had the better of play early on, recording two penalty corners and three shots in the first five minutes. However, Amherst gradually took control and eventually got on the board when senior Molly Malloy (Stamford, Conn.) knocked in a tip pass from sophomore Chrissy Cantore (Hershey, Pa.) during a scramble in front at 16:26. The Lady Jeffs then tacked on two more scores over the next 10 minutes, as junior Liz Schink (Chicago, Ill.) put back a rebound of Malloy's shot at 21:23 and sophomore Carly Dudzik (Darien, Conn.) blasted a ball off a defender's stick and into the upper right corner at 26:14.

The Beavers got one goal back just before the half, as senior co-captain Jess Paladino (Turner, Maine) tucked a rebound of sophomore Courtney Weaving's (New Preston, Conn.) shot into the cage at 32:45. It was Paladino's 12th goal of the season and 44th of her career, moving her into sole possession of second place on Babson's all-time scoring list. It marked the second major career milestone of the season for the senior forward, who moved into second place on the program's points list back on September 29.

Amherst would re-establish its three-goal cushion 10 minutes into the second half, as Schink took a pass from first-year Kaitlyn McInnis (Franklin, Mass.) at the top of the circle and ripped a shot into the lower right corner for her second goal of the game at 45:00. The Lady Jeffs later added what would prove to be an important insurance goal, as first-year Katie McMahon (Denville, N.J.) scored off a rebound of McInnis' bid at 59:18.

Babson made one final push late in regulation, scoring twice in the final three minutes. Paladino tipped a long hit from junior co-captain Colleen Kelly (Milton, Mass.) inside the right post for her second of the game at 66:59, and junior Sarah Fredlund (New Preston, Conn.) made it a two-goal affair when she tipped a pass from Paladino over the goalie and into the upper right corner at 68:02. However, that would be as close as the Beavers would get, as Amherst ran out the clock to secure the 5-3 victory.

Sophomore Jess Pashos (Winchester, Mass.) finished with seven saves in net for Babson, while sophomore Emily Vitale (Cheshire, Conn.) turned away two shots in the cage for Amherst.