CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's lacrosse team battled No. 5 Amherst to within a 12-9 score midway through the third quarter, but the Mammoths were able to close on a 9-0 run to take a 21-9 win over the Athenas on Wednesday evening. 

Amherst improves to 5-0 on the season with the victory, which also includes a win over then-No. 2 Tufts. CMS, which defeated No. 22 Colorado College on Sunday, slips to 5-3 on the year with the loss. 

CMS fell behind 4-0 early and was down 11-5 late in the half, before turning the momentum behind its 24-8 edge in draw controls, led by 14 from Julia Ryan, six from Stella Hansot and four from Cate Lewison.

Grace Minturn scored with 1:02 left in the half to make the score 11-6, and was followed 36 seconds later by a goal from Kate Larson. CMS won the ensuing draw but couldn't get off a shot before the half expired, then took the opening draw of the second half. One minute later, Ryan found the back of the net with a bounce shot at the 14:00 mark off a Lewison feed to close the deficit to 11-8. 

Amherst answered that goal, but Amelia Ulmer scored off a Minturn pass with 10:09 left in the third to make it 12-9. The Athenas won the draw again and had two possessions to try to close even further, but eventually Amherst was able to win the ball back and start their game-closing 9-0 run with a goal. 

Ella Seidel had three goals to lead the Athenas, while Ella Brown had two, and Ulmer and Minturn each had a team-high two assists. Hansot led the Athenas with three ground balls. 

CMS will be back in action next Wednesday when it hosts its final non-conference game against Willamette at 7 p.m.