Propelled by a three-goal outburst in the second period, the men’s hockey team advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four with an impressive 3-1 win over Plattsburgh State at Orr Rink this past Saturday. The victory catapults Amherst (24-3-1) into its first Frozen Four appearance in program history.
The No. 2-ranked Jeffs will travel to Lake Placid, NY this weekend to take on No. 3 SUNY Oswego (23-3-2) in the national semifinals. Top-seeded Norwich takes on No. 5 St. Norbert’s in the other semifinal.
Last Saturday, Amherst lost to defending champion Norwich Univ. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a score of 5-0.
While Amherst had dealt Norwich their first shutout in almost 70 games earlier in the season, they came up scoreless against Cadet goalie Kelly Fisk.
Stephanie Invernizzi, Renee Lortie and Julie Fortier each contributed a goal for Norwich, with Jillayne DeBus notching two.
Senior goalkeeper Sinead Murphy served Amherst, posting 21 total saves.
Another champion disgraced.
Doesnʼt that phrase sound familiar? The 2004 New England Patriots come to mind first: outside of New England, popular opinion holds this team as a bunch of worthless cheaters after “Spygate” came to light.
Then, thereʼs Reggie Bush, who had to forfeit his 2005 Heisman Trophy because he received benefits from USC that were “improper” by the NCAAʼs definition.
After a successful regular season that led to a NESCAC championship, the men’s basketball team entered the NCAA Tournament hoping to make a deep run to the Final Four. Their campaign started off well with a blowout victory over New York Univ., but the level of competition jumped up a notch in the Round of 16, where Amherst took on the Diplomats of Franklin & Marshall.
MEN
Ben Scheetz ’12, Pat Grimes ’13 and Matt Melton ’14 represented Amherst at the NCAA Div. III Indoor Track and Field Championships, held in Grinnell, Iowa.
Grimes was the only runner to qualify for the finals, placing in the top 10 in the mile in Friday’s preliminary heat. His time of 4:14.85 put him in ninth place. He did not finish the race in the final heat.
WOMEN
When the collegiate golf spring season kicks off on March 23, the Amherst women’s golf team will take the course as defending NESCAC Champions for the second consecutive season.
The program has developed into a perennial national contender under the guidance of head coach Michelle Morgan, having won 11 tournaments in the past three years. Once again, this team is deep with talent and will likely contend for another NESCAC Championship.
MEN
After capturing the NCAA crown last spring, the men’s tennis team enters the spring season as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, and after an undefeated fall, the Jeffs look ready to defend their title.
The Jeffs began last season by winning their first 17 matches, before falling to the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team while on their spring break trip. Determined to rebound, the Jeffs closed their season with 12 straight wins, including upending the then top-ranked Middlebury Panthers to close out regular season play.
