NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Connecticut College women's basketball team fell to top-ranked Amherst by a 72-40 score at the Charles B. Luce Field House on Friday evening.

The Camels kept the score close in the opening quarter and opened the scoring when junior Margaret Corcoran (Milton, Mass.) hit a jumper at the 9:11 mark. After five ties and three lead changes, the Mammoths only led by a 16-12 score through 10 minutes of play.

Amherst, however, caught fire after the short break and outscored the hosts by a commanding 18-5 margin in the second frame. Cam Hendricks extended the lead to twin figures at 24-14 by driving in for a layup with 6:49 left and hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give her team a 34-17 advantage heading into the recess.

The Mammoths continued to control play in the third quarter and did not allow the Camels to hit a field goal until sophomore Nancy Coulverson (Queens, N.Y.) drilled a shot from downtown with 5:28 on the clock. Natalie Nardella made a layup to balloon the margin to as many as 35 near the midway point of the fourth, and the Mammoths ran away with their 48th straight win.

Madeline Eck paced four players in twin figures by netting 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting for Amherst (15-0, NESCAC 2-0), which extended its NCAA Division III women's basketball record by winning its 32nd consecutive road game. McCarthy had a solid all-around game by contributing eight points, 11 rebounds and four steals, while Jackie Nagle had 11 points off the bench.

Sophomore Sami Ashton (Clinton, Conn.) led Connecticut College with a 13-point, six-rebound effort. Coulverson added seven points and nine rebounds to go along with a career-high three blocks.

Connecticut College (9-4, NESCAC 1-2) next hosts Hamilton tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m.