Coming off an 11-5 season, the Amherst field hockey team looks to have another strong showing this fall. Last year’s edition of the Lady Jeffs got off to a strong start, winning their first five games, before stumbling to the tune of three straight losses (three of them in overtime). In fact, four of the team’s five losses last year came in OT, incuding their last of the season, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Middlebury in the NESCAC playoffs. Notably, only one of those losses came at home.
Baseball
The Jeffs finished their regular season with a 27-13 record, including a 9-3 mark in their division.
More importantly, they finally captured that elusive NESCAC Championship, their first since 2005, by defeating Wesleyan twice in the tournament finals. Playing in Middletown, Conn., the Jeffs followed up a thrilling, 5-4, 13-inning victory with a resounding 7-0 shutout to secure the crown.
Women’s Basketball
Field Hockey
The Lady Jeffs’ 11-5 season nearly ended in a NESCAC crown. After an exhilarating, double-overtime win at Trinity in the conference semifinals, the underdog Jeffs traveled to Middlebury for the championship game. They found themselves in another overtime thriller; this time, however, they were on the wrong end of the decision, as the Panthers came away with the win and the league title.
Crippled by a porous defense, the men’s lacrosse team suffered a brutal end to a frustrating season, losing 19-9 to top-seeded Middlebury in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament last weekend. Plagued by inexperience, erratic play and an inability to win tight games, the Jeffs finished the spring campaign at 5-10 (3-7 NESCAC).
Softball wrapped up their regular season in dramatic fashion, scoring eight runs in the top of the seventh to beat Keene State in the nightcap of a doubleheader. The team fell to the Owls 5-3 in the early game and crushed Elms earlier in the week to end up with a 24-12 record.
The Jeffs jumped all over Elms in the midweek game, scoring nine runs in the first three innings before adding one in the fifth to invoke the mercy rule in their final home game. Caroline Sealander ’15 held the Blazers to three hits for a complete-game, 10-2 victory.
Women
The top-ranked women’s tennis team was put to the test on Sunday when they traveled to face third-ranked Middlebury. The Lady Jeffs were able to squeeze out the win, 5-4, and end their regular season undefeated in Div. III play.
Amherst snagged two of the three doubles matches as Jordan Brewer ’14 and Gabby Devlin ’14 finished their season undefeated as a doubles pair, beating Brittney Faber and Leah Kepping, 8-3. Caroline Richman ’13 and Safaa Aly ’15 notched the other win for Amherst as they easily defeated Margot Marchese and Lauren Amos.
