The Amherst College women’s hockey team is headed to the NESCAC finals. 

Taking on No. 4 Middlebury on Friday night in the semifinals, the Mammoths found the back of the net twice in the second period. That was all they would need, as Amherst goalie Natalie Stott stopped all 17 shots she faced to lead top-seeded Amherst to the conference title game behind a 2-0 victory at Orr Rink in Amherst. 

Amherst will host No. 2 Hamilton in the finals on Saturday, with puck drop set for 7:30 at Orr Rink. Hamilton knocked off No. 3 Colby, 4-3, in the other semifinal on Friday. 

Kate Pohl kicked off the scoring for the Mammoths (22-3) on Friday, tallying the opening goal of the game 3:54 into the second period. Carley Daly and Gretchen Dann recorded the assists on the goal. 

With 3:54 to go in the second Amherst tacked on its second goal of the game, this one off the stick of Marie-Eve Marleau. Mary Thompson and Emily Hohmann picked up the assists on the tally. 

Sophia Merageas finished with 24 saves for Middlebury (16-7-3). 

Men’s hockey

UMass 5, Maine 2 — The Minutemen’s offense finally came to life in the third period in Orono, Maine on Friday. 

Tied 1-1 with the Black Bears heading into the third period, UMass lit up the scoreboard four times to walk away with a 5-2 Hockey East victory. 

It didn’t take long for the Minutemen (12-16-5) to get on the board. Scott Morrow found the back of the net just 55 seconds into the game, with Reed Lebster and Cal Kiefuk earning the assists. Lynden Breen answered for Maine with 3:36 to play in the frame to tie it up heading into the second period. 

After a scoreless middle frame, Taylor Makar gave UMass the lead just 2:27 into the third, scoring off assists from Lucas Mercuri and Morrow. Four minutes later, Owen Murray added to the lead, with Ryan Lautenbach and Ryan Ufko earning the assists. 

Makar recorded his second goal of the contest with 9:30 to play, with Murray and Lautenbach credited with the assist on the goal that put the Minutemen ahead, 4-1. 

Breen scored his second of the game to get the Black Bears back in it with 5:18 to play but Kiefuk netted an insurance goal with 2:10 to go to seal the UMass victory. Eric Faith picked up the assist on Kiefuk’s tally. 

Cole Brady came up with 29 saves for the Minutemen, which remain in Orono to close out their regular season with a second game against Maine on Saturday at 7 p.m. 

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