AMHERST — For the second time in three years, the Amherst College women’s hockey team is Frozen Four bound.

The Mammoths moved on after taking down Colby, 4-1, during the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III Championship tournament on Saturday afternoon at Orr Rink. Freshman Bea Flynn nabbed two goals for Amherst (22-5-1), which scored the game’s first four goals, to beat the Mules and punch its ticket to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2023 and fifth appearance overall in program history.

“Couldn’t be prouder of the effort they put forth, how hard they played, how connected they were to each other, how much heart they showed,” Amherst head coach Jeff Matthews said. “They executed the game plan from start to finish. It was a fun environment.”

Flynn scored two minutes, 44 seconds into the contest after an ill-advised turnover from a Colby (18-7-2) defender in the Mammoths offensive zone. Flynn intercepted an attempted D-to-D pass from the Mules, then skated right down the open slot and fired it past Colby goalie Mandy Busky, bringing the home crowd to its feet right away with the 1-0 Amherst lead.

“When I picked off the pass, I looked up and immediately saw that I had no one so I knew to hit the low-glove shot,” Flynn said. “Coach calls it the money shot.”

Ahead 2-0 during the second period, Flynn increased the Mammoths’ lead to 3-0 with a backhand floater. The Berlin, Connecticut native collected a loose puck just outside the Mules crease and flicked the puck over Busky at 6:15 of the middle frame for Flynn’s fourth goal in the past four games.

“I think offensively, especially my line, all of our lines, keep cycling it, cycling it and then just creating space for ourselves and not forcing anything,” Flynn said on her recent success filling the net. “[Also] keeping it low, taking shots and being a big presence in front of the net.”

The former Frederick Gunn School standout tallied Amherst’s only goal in its 1-0 win against Middlebury during the NESCAC Championship game on March 9.

“Bea stepped up with some big goals at the right moments and we just kept it rolling from start to finish,” Matthews said.

Freshman Ayla Abban added the Mammoths’ second goal of the game with a power-play marker at 14:21 of the first. Amherst’s shot from the point was blocked down by Colby at the hashmarks, but Abban quickly corralled the rebound and completed the turnaround wrister into the net, for the forward’s team-leading 14 goal of the season.

The Mammoths didn’t get another man-advantage opportunity the rest of the game, but they made the most of their lone chance, doubling their lead to 2-0 late in the first.

“Both units have been clicking of late,” Matthews said. “We’re just trying to get pucks to the net, bodies to the net and anything can happen.”

Amherst is currently running with a 17.3 conversion percentage while on the power play.

Flynn’s second tally during the second period had the Mammoths in a comfortable spot heading into the third with a three-goal lead. Amherst’s relentless forecheck versus the Mules combined with the fact that junior goalie Natalie Stott hadn’t allowed more than three goals in a game all season meant the final 20 minutes felt more like a formality.

“That’s a big strength of ours,” Matthews said on the team’s forecheck. “We have good team speed so we look to use it in all facets of the game. Play fast, play hard and definitely on the forecheck when we can get that going it serves us well.”

Sophomore Natalie Fu cleaned up another rebound for Amherst with a strike 1:46 into the final frame, but Colby spoiled Stott’s shutout bid less than five minutes later. Mules forward Anya Jiang came out of the left corner with the puck in the Mammoths defensive end, took open ice and roofed the puck into the top shelf at 4:57, making it a 4-1 game.

Colby had one last chance to cut into Amherst’s lead with a late power play after Flynn was called for tripping at 17:22, but Stott and the Mammoths stood tall. Amherst killed off both Mules power plays on Saturday while allowing five shots.

Stott secured win No. 21 on the season with the 29-save outing, one shy of the former Williston Northampton tender’s season-high. Amherst also completed the season with a perfect 15-0-0 record at Orr Rink.

Amherst will face fellow NESCAC foe Middlebury during the national semifinal next week.

“Obviously we know Middlebury is another outstanding team and organization that’s extremely well-coached,” Matthews said. “This time of the year there aren’t going to be any easy ones so we just got to be ready to show up and play our game.”

Puck drop is set for Friday, March 28 at Hunt Arena in River Falls, Wisconsin. No time has been announced as of Saturday night.