No. 8 Ephs fall, 3-0, to No. 5 Amherst in NESCAC Semifinals

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Senior goaltender

Erin Pye made a game-high 39 saves for the No. 8-ranked Williams College women's ice hockey team during a 3-0 setback to No. 5 Amherst in the semifinals of the NESCAC Tournament Saturday evening at Chip Kenyon '85 Arena on the campus of Middlebury College.

The Ephs (17-4-5, 9-3-4 NESCAC) will learn on Sunday, March 8, at 8:30 p.m. during the NCAA selection show if they receive an at-large bid into the national tournament. The third-seeded Ephs defeated sixth-seeded Wesleyan (7-16-2, 4-11-1 NESCAC), 5-3, during the NESCAC Quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Lansing Chapman Rink. The 17 wins so far this season are the most for the program since the 2019-20 season.

The second-seeded Mammoths (18-2-6, 9-1-6 NESCAC) will compete against fourth-seeded and No. 10 Colby (18-6-1, 10-5-1 NESCAC) in the championship game Sunday at 2 p.m. from Chip Kenyon '85 Arena. The Mules defeated top-seeded and No. 6 Middlebury, 2-1, in triple overtime Saturday in the first semifinal matchup.

Pye stopped 39 of the 41 shots she faced Saturday for a .951 save percentage. Senior goalie Natalie Stott earned the shutout and win in net for Amherst, making 26 saves.

Natalie Fu posted the game-winning goal at the 7:07 mark of the second period for the Mammoths. Emily Hohmann and Bea Flynn scored at the 8:46 and 19:31 marks of the third, respectively, with the second one being an empty-net tally.

Williams killed off both of Amherst's power plays, while sophomore

Zoe Rosenberg and senior captain

Chloe Noxon recorded five and four shots on net, respectively. Noxon, first-year

Grace Johnson and sophomore

Skyler Moore each blocked three shots. The Ephs won 41-of-80 faceoffs, as senior

Jaelyn Keiver registered an 11-2 record.