Propelled by stingy defense and a golden-goal overtime strike by Max Fikke ’14, the men’s soccer team avenged last year’s heartbreaking NCAA quarterfinal loss with a gritty 1-0 win at Williams on Saturday.
For 105 scoreless minutes, Saturday’s tilt followed a similar script to Amherst-Williams soccer games in 2012, with two rivals locked in a physical, feisty defensive struggle. Last season, two of the three games ended in a 0-0 tie in regulation, and Saturday’s match appeared destined for the same conclusion.
Following a nerve-racking overtime win over a Middlebury team missing nine freshmen due to orientation, Amherst Men’s Soccer vanquished any lingering doubts of their championship mettle with a dominating 3-0 victory over Bowdoin Saturday.
The Jeffs improved to 4-0 (2-0 NESCAC) on the season, extending their unbeaten streak to 24 games dating back to November 2011. Even after losing five starters to graduation, Head Coach Justin Serpone has managed to incorporate a slew of first-years and other bright, young players into the lineup while racing to a perfect record.
Confronting unfamiliar adversity in a rebuilding year — having lost five of 11 starters from last season — the men’s soccer team gritted out a 2-1 overtime victory over Middlebury this Saturday in the NESCAC opener.
After falling behind 1-0 on a questionable penalty kick late in the first half, the Jeffs responded with a spectacular goal from Greg Singer ’16 in the 64th minute, before Nico Pascual-Leone ’15 netted the decisive tally 3:34 into overtime.
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).
With its NESCAC playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the men’s lacrosse team staved off elimination with a gritty 10-9 win over archrival Williams on Saturday.
The season-saving victory moved the Jeffs (3-6 NESCAC, 5-8 overall) into an eighth place tie with Williams (3-6 NESCAC, 5-7 overall) in the league standings. The top eight teams in the 11-team conference qualify for the NESCAC Tournament, which begins next weekend.
Floundering in the midst of a rebuilding season, the men’s lacrosse team saw its NESCAC playoff hopes take a devastating hit this past week. The Jeffs dropped consecutive home games to Tufts and Conn. College, losing 12-8 on Saturday and 8-7 on Tuesday.
The Jeffs (4-8, 2-6 NESCAC) now find themselves near the cellar of the NESCAC standings, sitting in the 9th place out of 11 teams. The top eight teams qualify for the NESCAC tournament.
Crippled by a lethargic start, the men’s lacrosse team endured another gut-wrenching NESCAC defeat last weekend, falling to regional powerhouse Middlebury 10-8.
Facing an 8-3 deficit at halftime, the Jeffs (3-6, 2-4 NESCAC) mounted a stirring comeback to knot the score at 8-8 entering the fourth quarter, but Middlebury (8-2, 5-2 NESCAC) netted two late goals to escape with the victory.
