So, naturally, when seventh-seeded Middlebury College scored 70 seconds into yesterday's NESCAC tournament quarterfinal, the Jeffs did not panic.
"We had to pull it together," said Co-captain Mairin Brady '02. "But we're a team that doesn't ever believe it is going to lose a game." The Jeffs rallied, despite playing without two injured starters-Co-captain Gretchen Bowe '01 and defender Laurie Smith '02. Without them, it took most of the opening 35 minutes for the Amherst offense to get going, but get going it did.
"We're still trying to find our rhythm without Gretchen," said Head Coach Chris Paradis. "We've had to make a lot of adjustments, but we have such flexibility and depth that I think we've been able to do that."
By the end of the half, the Jeff midfield, led by Robin Ackerman '02, Brady and Marcy Busch '02, had begun to control possession, leading the Jeffs to a 15-5 shot margin. The momentum finally paid off for the hosts with 1:34 remaining in the period, as Busch knotted the score off a feed from Brady.
After halftime, though, Amherst's offensive momentum met Middlebury's defense, as the game turned into a battle in the midfield. As the half progressed, the Jeffs looked destined for their fourth-consecutive overtime game. But this time, the ending was not quite as dramatic. Christine Ryan '04, starting in place of Bowe in the midfield, finished a loose ball in the goalmouth off a free hit from Kristin Harrison '03 with 5:34 remaining, and the Jeffs hung on for the 2-1 win.
"We've gotten great contributions from the three first-years," said Paradis. "Good things happen to good teams."
Good things have been happening for the Jeffs, including finishes in their other two games last week that were as amazing as they were unlikely.
In Wednesday's game against Tufts-Amherst's first game without Bowe-the Jumbos jumped on the scoreboard first, scoring with 12:25 remaining in the second half. The Jeffs retaliation, however, culminated in the equalizer, a blast from Brady with 6:30 remaining. The game went to overtime knotted at one, and remained that way late into the second overtime. There, the Jeffs rallied, with Brady and attacker Abby Ouimet '03 leading the way. Yet, with less than 30 seconds left in overtime, the game seemed destined for strokes. But, with seven seconds remaining, the Jeffs earned a penalty corner and one last chance. It paid off, as the ball eventually ended up on the stick of Ackerman, who converted with no time remaining to seal the win.
As if that finish weren't wild enough, Saturday's regular season finale was even more ridiculous. After Amherst and Wesleyan traded late first-half goals, the two teams battled back and forth through the second half, the first overtime and the second overtime, eventually heading to penalty strokes.
There, once again, the Jeffs came through when it counted, with Ryan, Allison Aldrich '04, Anne Close '02 and Ouimet all converting their strokes. Sensing stopped two Wesleyan strokes, and Amherst had the win-their school-record 13th of the regular season-and the Little III title.
Now, the Jeffs face a rematch with Williams in the NESCAC semifinals, with top-seeded Bowdoin-who handed the Jeffs their lone loss of the regular season-the team that, in all likelihood, waits for the winner of that game in the NESCAC Championship.
The odds do not favor the Jeffs heading into next weekend. But then again, maybe it's better that way. After all, so far this season, when the odds are against the Jeffs, good things have been happening.