Football
Despite heartbreaking losses on the road to both Wesleyan University and Trinity College, the Lord Jeffs enjoyed a fairly successful campaign on the gridiron, finishing 6-2. They capped their season with a thrilling 45-35 victory over previously undefeated Williams College.
The Jeffs started out the season in impressive fashion, winning their first four games against Bates, Bowdoin, Middlebury and Colby Colleges with ease. The Jeffs' stingy defense posted two shutouts and allowed only 30 total points during the winning streak. In the fifth contest of the season against Wesleyan, a 14-13 loss, Amherst forced five turnovers, but could not convert a last-second field goal as time expired. The Jeffs rebounded from the loss with a hard-fought, come-from-behind overtime victory over Tufts University, 27-24 during Family Weekend.
With its sights possibly set on a date with Williams the next week, Amherst was defeated by Trinity 21-14 on Nov. 2.
With only one game remaining-against arch-rival Williams College-the Jeffs were determined to regain their early season form. While a raucous crowd cheered them on, the Jeffs jumped on the Ephs early and often, taking a 10-7 lead in the first quarter and never looking back. After the Ephs spoiled the Jeffs' perfect season last year, the Jeffs no doubt relished the chance to exact revenge on their Little III rivals.
Junior running back Fletcher Ladd carried the Jeffs on his back early in the season, rushing for over 150 yards in five of the Jeff's first six games, and finishing with 1148 yards and six touchdowns for the season. Ladd was named First-Team All-NESCAC and Second-Team ECAC Division III Northeast All-Star for his efforts. In addition to Ladd, the Jeffs placed eight other players on the All-NESCAC teams. They included First-Teamers Jeremy Carroll '03 (free safety), Pat Hayes '03 (defensive tackle), Rob Vernicek '03 (left tackle), David Bodner '05 (place kicker) and Jason Wagstaff '05 (wide-receiver/return specialist) as well as Second-Teamers Brendan Carolan '03 (right tackle), Jeff Ryan '03 (fullback) and J.P. Zito '03 (wide receiver).
Men's soccer
The men's soccer team enjoyed its best season since 1997, reaching the NCAA round of 16 before falling to undefeated St. Lawrence University, 1-0. The Jeffs struggled early in the season, beginning with a 3-1 loss to Tufts University in their first game. After a 2-0 loss to Middlebury College on Oct. 5, the Jeffs stood at a disappointing 3-3-1 (1-3).
The Jeffs regrouped, however, and immediately rattled off seven consecutive victories heading into the NESCAC Tournament. Behind the stellar goaltending of first-year Greg Lockwood, five of these seven victories were shutouts and each game was decided by at least two goals.
In the NESCAC tournament, the Jeffs defeated Tufts and Bowdoin by identical 2-1 scores before facing Williams in the finals. Having defeated Williams earlier in the year 3-0, the Jeffs knew they were in for a battle from the revenge-seeking, second-seeded Ephs. This time the Ephs made some adjustments and overmatched the Jeffs 3-0.
Even without the NESCAC title, the Jeffs were still more than happy to accept an invitation to the Div. III NCAA Tournament. In the first round, the Jeffs defeated SUNY-Cortland 1-0 on a goal by NESCAC Rookie of the Year Joe Gannon '06. The Jeffs then faced St. Lawrence, but could not defeat the Saints on their home field.
Three Jeffs earned All-NESCAC Second-Team honors in the fall. They included Gannon, Frank Perry '04, and Tim Canon '04
Women's soccer
After reaching the NCAA Championship game in 2001, the women's soccer team had high expectations heading into the fall. The Jeffs 2002 campaign was marked by injuries, however, and the Jeffs were never able to regain the glory of a year ago as their season ended in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament.
Before the season even began, the Jeffs lost co-captain Kate Shipley '03 for the year because of a knee injury and were without another key contributor in 2001, Lee-Jay Henry '05, to begin the season as well.
Even without Shipley, the Jeffs defense played well in the early season, shutting out their first two opponents by 2-0. The Jeffs stalled at this point, though, losing four of their next six games to fall to 4-4 on the season. After three big NESCAC victories and thrilling ties against Williams and Trinity College, the Jeffs headed into the NESCAC Tournament as the fourth seed.
But the Jeffs could not find any of their magic from last season, and fell to fifth seeded Connecticut College 2-1 in the first round, ending the Jeffs season with a disappointing 8-5-2 record.
Co-captain goaltender Brooke Diamond '03 was the Jeffs' lone constituent on the All-NESCAC First-Team. Senior Katelyn McCabe, junior Sara Elkins, and sophomores Adrienne Showler and Ashley Harmeling garnered Second-Team accolades.
Field hockey
The field hockey team struggled through a very difficult season, finishing only 7-8 and just barely squeezing into the final position in the NESCAC Tournament.
The Jeffs fell into a deep hole in the early going, losing their first four NESCAC games without scoring a goal. With their hopes of making the postseason dwindling, the Jeffs played with a new fire over the second half of the season, winning four of their last five conference games, including 1-0 overtime victories over Williams and Trinity Colleges to end the season.
The final victory over Trinity earned Amherst the right to face Williams in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament. The Jeffs were no match for the host Ephs, though, as the Ephs sent the Jeffs packing with an emphatic 3-0 victory.
Though the team's season was far from memorable, a few bright individual performances stood out. Co-captain Molly O'Connor '03 and junior Christine Ryan were named Second-Team All-NESCAC, while senior Abby Ouimet was named Second-Team STX Division III All-New England West Region by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA).
Volleyball
The Fire Dogs enjoyed a very successful season, finishing the fall with a 21-7 record and a runner-up finish in the NESCAC Tournament to Little III rival Williams College, suffering three of their seven losses to the Ephs.
The Jeffs began the season by winning nine straight matches, six of which were against tough non-conference foes. Their tenth game, against Gordon College, was their toughest of the season to that point, as they lost 3-0, their first of two losses to Gordon of the season.
Entering the NESCAC Tournament with a 8-2 record, the Jeffs knew that the only team that could challenge their Championship hopes was the mighty Ephs. After dismissing Tufts and Middlebury in the first two rounds, the Jeffs were bounced from the tournament by the Ephs in three sets.
Sophomore setter Annie Hoeksma was named First-Team All-NESCAC after leading the Jeffs in assists in every game of the season.
Tennis
The men and women's tennis teams both enjoyed successful fall seasons, finishing 3-0 and 7-1 respectively. The men were led by two freshmen phenoms, Danny Babkes and Josh Rilla, who played at number one and two singles. The women's only defeat came at the hands of Div. I UMass. Another freshman, Kristen Raverta, played in the number one singles position for the Jeffs while sophomore Rachel Holt, last year's NESCAC Rookie of the Year and ITA National Co-Rookie of the Year played at the number two position. Tristan Hedrick '05 also had a solid fall season, finishing with only one loss.
In addition the team's success, Holt was victorious individually at the Omni Hotels East Regional Championship hosted by Bowdoin College. On way to the Championship, Holt defeated her teammate Hedrick in the semi-finals.
Cross country
In a reprise of her accomplishments last year, sophomore sensation Carter Hamill was once again the standout of the cross country team. Despite not earning any individual victories, Hamill was consistently at the top of the leaderboard in every meet.
The women concluded their season by just missing qualifying for nationals as a team, finishing in ninth place. Three second-place team finishes and two third place team finishes highlighted the women's season.
The men were extremely successful as well, finishing the fall with first place finishes at the Middlebury and Tufts Invitationals. Junior John Stanton-Geddes was the Jeffs most successful individual runner over the course of the season.
Golf
The women's golf team lost two players from last year's team that finished fourth at the NCAA Tournament, but still had some strong finishes in the fall. After a slow start, with tenth, third and seventh place finishes in their first three tournaments, the Jeffs responded by winning their last two tournament of the fall. Captain Katie Gravel '03 had the lowest round for the Jeffs in three of their five tournaments, including a victory at the Wellesley Invitational. Emily Foran '05 also secured an individual victory at the Williams Fall Invite.
The men's team struggled coming out of the gates in the fall, finishing outside the top-ten in their first two events before finishing fifth at the NESCAC Championships. Co-Captain Todd Ballaban '03 shot the team's best round of the fall, a 75, at the Williams Invitational.