BABSON PARK, Mass. – Sophomore Krista Zsitvay (New Vernon, N.J.) recorded a second-half hat trick to help the nationally-ranked Amherst College Lord Jeffs earn a 5-0 win over host Babson College in non-conference field hockey action at MacDowell Field on Wednesday night.

Currently ranked eighth in the nation in the Kookaburra/NFHCA poll, Amherst improves to 8-1 on the year, while the Beavers sink to 7-8 overall.

Amherst jumped in front late in the first half, as junior Katie McMahon (Denville, N.J.) turned the left corner, evaded charging senior keeper Jess Pashos (Winchester, Mass.), and poked it into an empty cage for her ninth goal of the season at 29:34. The Beavers then threatened to tie the game in the closing moments of the period, but senior back Sarah McCarrick (New Canaan, Conn.) made a clutch defensive save on the goal line at 32:53 as the Lord Jeffs went into the break armed with a 1-0 advantage.

The visitors added to their lead on a penalty corner a little more than 10 minutes into the second stanza. After McCarrick's shot from just inside the circle was saved by Pashos, Zsitvay tucked the rebound across the goal line for her eighth of the campaign at 45:28. The sophomore forward then struck again moments later, as she flicked a penalty stroke into the upper left corner for her second of the night and ninth of the year at 50:59.

Zsitvay completed the hat trick at 53:37, as she tipped a long pass from senior Carly Dudzik (Darien, Conn.) off a restart inside the left post for her third goal of the evening and 10th of the fall. Sophomore Alex Philie (East Sandwich, Mass.) later tacked on her second marker of the season as the Lord Jeffs finished off the 5-0 victory.

Pashos made a valiant effort in net for Babson, matching her career high with 17 saves in just over 59 minutes of action. Sophomore Kayla Florence (Milton, Mass.) finished up in net for the Beavers and did not face a shot. At the other end, first-year Rachael Tannenbaum (Berwyn, Pa.) turned away two shots to earn her fourth shutout of the season.