After surviving a dangerous flurry from the William Smith College offense, Amherst got on the board early and didn't relinquish the one-goal lead for the remainder of the contest. Striker Adrienne Showler '05 picked up the tally in the 12th minute, and goaltender Brooke Diamond '03 made the lead stand up the rest of the way.
The William Smith Herons came out of the gate fast, keeping the pressure on the Amherst defense through much of the early going. "They had four or five good chances in the first 10 minutes, especially two headers that went wide," said Diamond. But Amherst soon settled down and began to control the tempo of the match.
Working the ball in transition, Showler and tri-captain midfielder Cathy Poor '02 moved through the Heron zone. As Poor was tackled in the box, the ball came to a wide-open Showler. She moved in one-on-one with the goalie, shot the ball towards the lower left corner and didn't miss. Poor was credited with the assist.
After the goal, Diamond and the Amherst defense went to work. Diamond made seven saves, and even got some help on two balls she could not get to.
Both backs Mary Sarro-Waite '05 and Katharine Shipley '03 would make game-saving plays by clearing a loose ball from the goal line. Tri-captain back Margaret Rubin '02 was impressed by the play of her defensive unit. "The defense was sensational and Brooke [Diamond] was completely flawless in goal," she said.
Rubin also credited the offense with help in the defensive end. "The midfield, and the forwards too, did a really nice job of getting back to help on defense," said Rubin. "The defense was covering for each other everywhere and moving together really well."
The win was the team's 15th of the season, an Amherst women's soccer record. The last and only time the Jeffs reached the Final Four was in 1996. That year, they hosted the Final Four and lost in the semifinal round. With the loss, William Smith is eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
Now just three teams and two games stand between the Lord Jeffs and the NCAA title. The other squads to make the Final Four are Ohio Wesleyan University, Wheaton College (of Illinois), and Willamette University. Amherst will face No. 5 Wheaton this Friday at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. The host, ranked second in the nation, will battle Willamette in Friday's second game. The winners will face off on Saturday to fight for the 2001 NCAA Division III Championship.
Amherst has not lost a game in over a month, and the players believe that this team has what it takes. "We are all so excited and feel confident about the Final Four," said Rubin. "I think our level of confidence is high now, but we are not taking anything for granted. We are playing hard and skilled through every game and that is why we're winning."
Diamond and Showler were likewise positive about the team's chance for victory. "At this point, we are all feeling like anything is possible. Someone has to win the National Championship," said Diamond. "Why not a team that knows both success and defeat and who has really worked hard to put it all together in the postseason? Why not us?"
"The team has had its ups and downs all season, but I think we all knew that the potential for us to do really well was there the entire time," said Showler. "When I look at the team, I don't see anything but strength in every position. I would honestly hate to have to play against Amherst."