The men’s soccer team had the kind of weekend they hope will define their season. The Lord Jeffs opened NESCAC play with a perfect 2-0 record, with wins over rivals Bates, 3-2 and Middlebury 3-0. Amherst was able to turn a fast start into a win in both games, but the way they did so could not have been more different.
Fueled by a stingy defense and the sudden emergence of sophomore striker Sarah Duffy, the women’s soccer team roared into the new season with three shutout victories this past week. The Jeffs routed Mount Holyoke 7-0 last Wednesday, then took out NESCAC foes Bates and Middlebury — both matches ended in a 2-0 result — at Hitchcock Field over the weekend.
The Jeffs extended their record to 3-0 (3-0 NESCAC) this weekend by outshining Bates College and Middlebury College in their first two home games of the season. They started the weekend with a decisive 7-1 win over Bates on Saturday morning, and carried their momentum into Sunday afternoon by taking down Middlebury, 3-1.
If you are a long-time Red Sox fan (as I proudly am), your team’s current standing should come as no surprise. After a dismal April, the Red Sox managed to cling to first place through the end of August despite an ailing pitching staff, relying instead on an outstanding offense — the second-best in the American League (AL) — and the late-inning duo of Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon.
In September, however, the Red Sox have slumped to a 5-15 record, having fallen to six games behind the division-leading Yankees.
The volleyball team’s games this season are not for the faint of heart.
The cardiac kids continued their hot start to the season last week, defeating Emerson and Wesleyan before falling to Trinity and then rebounding against Johnson & Wales to bring their record to 6-2 (NESCAC 1-1).
The Firedogs squeaked out their six sets against Emerson and Wesleyan by a combined 12 points before getting blanked, 3-0, by Trinity and then trouncing the Wildcats.
The cross country teams opened their seasons with a good showing at the UMass Invitational this weekend, despite racing with only half of their full force. The women’s team placed third overall while the men’s team finished sixth.
