With nearly every player returning to the team that reached the Division III National Championship game last season, the Jeffs had high hopes. However, a rocky start saw the Jeffs lose a few key players to injury, including senior co-captain Kate Shipley, who suffered a serious leg injury during the first game.
The season was highlighted by the emergence of Adrienne Showler '05 and Harvard University transfer Ashley Harmeling '05 as offensive stars, the immediate impact of freshmen backs, Lyn Wojcik, Allyson Heady, and Kaitlin Hill, and the superb goaltending of senior co-captain Brooke Diamond.
"Because of graduation and injuries, we had a lot of holes to fill coming into the season. Adri took more of a leadership role and Ashley was a nice surprise for us as a transfer," said Diamond. "The freshmen all stepped up. They didn't have experience, but they weren't intimidated even though they didn't know what to expect."
Identical 1-0 losses to Tufts and Eastern Connecticut State Universities exposed the Jeffs' primary weakness: scoring. However, striker Lee-Jay Henry '05 soon returned to the team after suffering an injury to begin the year, and made her presence known immediately with consecutive game-winning goals in 1-0 victories over Bates and Springfield College.
The Jeffs were in familiar territory with a 4-2 (2-1) record. Unfortunately, consecutive shut-out losses to Bowdoin and Wheaton Colleges, whom Amherst defeated in last year's NCAA Tournament, followed.
Coach Michelle Morgan altered the lineup and made some formation changes in order to fix holes in defense and create more scoring opportunities on offense. "After Wheaton we needed to change something," said Diamond. "We needed to shake things up and it ended up working because it enabled Ashley to utilize her goal scoring skills. Looking back, it was a good decision even though at the time we didn't know what to expect."
These changes paid off immediately in a victory over Middlebury College. Harmeling scored two goals, including the game winner, and Showler added a goal of her own. The game was a turning point, in that it marked the Jeffs' reemergence as NESCAC contenders.
Blowout victories over Colby College (3-1), Wesleyan University (4-0), and Mount Holyoke College (3-0) followed. Showler recorded her first career hat trick against Wesleyan, and Harmeling added two goals in the Mount Holyoke contest. With the offense finding its rhythm, the defense stepped it up a notch as well.
Next up, the Jeffs faced archrival Williams College at home during Family Weekend. Both teams needed a win to take over first place in the NESCAC standings and neither team wanted to budge on a cold, rainy day. At the end of regulation time the game was scoreless, sending the game into overtime, which was followed by double overtime. When the game ended, Amherst and Williams walked off the field together to a standing ovation. The teams had tied 0-0, but both seemed satisfied. For Wojcik, the game "was one of the most defining games of the season. We were psyched to play them and we came out with so much heart and desire. When we walked off the field, we had left everything out there. There was nothing more we could have given ... Even though it was a tie, it was a great feeling knowing that we played with our hearts."
The Jeffs could not find the same drive in the regular season finale against Trinity College. A 1-1 tie left the Jeffs in fourth place in the NESCAC standings, and with a first-round home game against Connecticut College the next day in the NESCAC Tournament.
Feeling a little run down, the Jeffs came out a little flat and allowed the Camels a 1-0 lead at halftime. Amherst knotted the game at one on a goal by Harmeling. Conn. came right back, however, scoring a late goal to eliminate the Jeffs from the NESCAC Tournament.
Although the Jeffs lost in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament, their season had numerous highlights. Harmeling led the team with nine goals, and Showler was right behind with seven. The defense matured as the season progressed and should return almost entirely intact next season.
Diamond recorded an impressive seven shutouts on the season, giving her 31 during her four-year career. "Brooke is one of the most amazing people I've ever met," said Wojcik. "She was like a mother to all the freshmen. There wasn't a better captain we could have had. She put her body on the line every day. Seeing a captain act like that, influences the team to follow her example. Seeing her giving it her all makes me want to do that myself."
With only Diamond, Shipley, and Katelyn McCabe '03 graduating this spring, the Jeffs will once again be NESCAC contenders next season. Next year's team will have a definite veteran presence, as almost all of the underclassmen received ample playing time and valuable experience.