AMHERST, Mass. – The Connecticut College field hockey team opened the 2026 season with a 2-0 setback at No. 19 Amherst College on Saturday afternoon at Hill Field.
Goalie
Isabella Carnall (Malvern, Pa.) turned away eight shots to keep the Camels in contention. Conn surrendered a goal late in the first half but kept within striking distance until the Mammoths added an empty-net tally in the game's final minute. Caroline Busler and Chloe Agopian registered the tallies for Amherst (1-0 overall, 1-0 NESCAC).
Busler's goal, which came 5:41 before intermission, capped a first half in which the hosts owned a 10-4 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in penalty corners. Conn had a chance to equalize late in the stanza, but a charge to the net by
Ella Fowler (Hopkinton, Mass.) was broken up by goalie Grace Puchalski, and the loose ball was cleared away by Amherst's back line.
After trailing by a goal for a majority of the second half, the Camels increased the pressure on Puchalski in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Alexa Blaeser (Boxford, Mass.) was denied on a rip with nine minutes to go, and
Elizabeth Bonner (Westfield, N.J.) was later turned away with just under four minutes remaining.
The Camels pulled Carnall with 53 seconds left in the contest, but an immediate turnover in their own end resulted in the goal by Agopian. Puchalski finished with five saves to record the clean sheet.
Conn (0-1 overall, 0-1 NESCAC) will next host Roger Williams University on Monday, September 7 at 4:00 p.m.
