Hamilton College scored three goals in a six-minute span during the third quarter and the Continentals cruised to a 4-1 non-conference win against the St. Lawrence University Saints at Hamilton's sun-splashed Goodfriend Field on Thuirsday.

The Continentals (3-0 overall), who received votes in this week's Division III coaches poll, were playing their first home game since October 2019. Hamilton travels to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst for a NESCAC contest against nationally ranked No. 15 Amherst College on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 11 a.m.

Today marked the first meeting between the two teams since both were in the Liberty League in 2010. The Continentals won that matchup, 3-2. St. Lawrence (4-2) had racked up 20 goals in its first five games this fall.

Tracey Stafford '23 and Emma Liebegott '22 led the Hamilton offense with a goal and an assist apiece. Stafford has seven career goals and Liebegott notched her second. Maggie Reville '22 (one save) was just five seconds away from her fourth career shutout and second in less than a week.

Lexi Takashima '22 put the Continentals on the scoreboard with 8:59 left in the second quarter as her second career goal was one for the highlight reel. Alana King '24 put a shot on goal that was kicked away by Cara Vredenburg (nine saves) but the loose ball went directly to Liebegott. She lifted the ball towards the left post where Takashima was positioned, and Takashima controlled it in midair and batted it into the cage all in one motion.

Hamilton's next two goals came as a result of penalty corners. Maura Holden '23 tallied her ninth career goal with 10:31 remaining in the third quarter when she tipped a hard shot by Keeley Duran '22. Stafford made it 3-0 with 5:11 to go in the third. A shot by Hannah Dillon '24 appeared to be going just wide of the cage but Stafford was at the right post for the slick redirect.

Liebegott gave the Continentals a commanding four-goal lead just 39 seconds later. Stafford squeezed off a pass in tight quarters from right of the cage to Liebegott, who scored from point-blank range less than five yards from the goal line.

The Saints avoided the shutout with five seconds left. Maggie Green carried the ball into the circle from the right flank and pushed a short pass to Suzanne L'Hommedieu, who swept a shot past a diving Reville from about 15 yards out.

Hamilton dominated the action as the Continentals held a 24-2 shot advantage and were awarded 12 penalty corners to St. Lawrence's two.