The Amherst women’s soccer team finished a very successful season last Saturday, Nov. 19. Though they lost their final match to William Smith 4-2, the purple and white finished with an impressive record of 17-3-1 overall and 8-1-1 in conference, while also boasting the 2016 NESCAC championship title.
The Amherst women’s soccer team is headed to the NCAA Sweet 16 after defeating Lasell College and Swarthmore College this past weekend. The purple and white opened NCAA Division III tournament play at home on Saturday and finished with a decisive 4-0 victory.
Amherst came out with a strong start, scoring three goals in the first half. Emily Hester ’17 kicked off the offensive pressure just three minutes in, when she narrowly missed a shot over the crossbar. At the 7:32 mark, Rubii Tamen ’19 was the first to find the back of the net, giving Amherst a 1-0 lead.
Amherst women’s soccer took down Middlebury (2-0) on Saturday, Nov. 5 and then went on to defeat Trinity (3-2) on Sunday, Nov. 6 to claim the 2016 NESCAC championship.
After losing to Middlebury earlier in the season by just one goal, the purple and white were thirsty for revenge. It was revenge that they won, and on Sunday they clinched the long sought-after league championship title. This marks the first time the Amherst women’s soccer program has won the NESCAC championship since 2011.
This past weekend, the Amherst women’s soccer team focused all of their energy into beating NESCAC opponent Wesleyan 2-0. This victory marks the eighth win in a row for the purple and white, giving them immense confidence as they head into the final week of regular league play and playoffs.
The Amherst women’s soccer team went 2-0 this weekend, taking down NESCAC rivals Tufts and Bates. These league victories were crucial in boosting the purple and white’s place in the NESCAC standings, propelling them to second place, just behind rival Williams.
Amherst opened the Tufts game with a strong start. In just the ninth minute, Maeve McNamara ’19 placed the ball just over the Jumbos’ goalkeeper’s head to give Amherst a 1-0 lead — a huge edge in the pivotal away-game tilt.
The Amherst women’s soccer team extended its winning streak to seven, as they took down Hamilton 3-0, Keene State 3-0, Colby 2-0 and Connecticut College 2-1 over the last two weeks.
Last week, the purple and white dominated Hamilton offensively for the majority of the match, significantly outshooting the Continentals 20-6.
As has become the standard, Amherst came out with a quick start. Putting the pressure on from the very beginning, Rubii Tamen ’19 tore down the field and knocked one past Hamilton’s goalkeeper just two minutes into the game.
It was a big weekend for Amherst women’s soccer — on Saturday they tied rival Williams, the reigning national champions, 1-1 after double overtime. The next day they turned around to defeat Farmingdale State, 3-1.
Although a tie isn’t as important as a win stats-wise, the purple and white were very proud of its accomplishment in stopping the Eph’s winning streak. Not only did Williams win the 2015 NCAA national title, but they are also Amherst’s biggest rivals. Thus, just stripping them of a win was a crucial momentum boost for Amherst.
