Amherst pulled itself together midway through the 2002 campaign and managed to win four of its last five regular season games in the NESCAC, including a big upset over Williams College. Of those five games, the four wins were shutouts and the only loss came in overtime. Playing with their heart on their sleeve, these Lord Jeffs proved to the entire NESCAC just how good they really were.
The final NESCAC regular season opponent for Amherst was Trinity College. In order to clinch the seventh and final playoff spot, the Jeffs needed to beat the Bantams. Amherst knew what it had to do.
Playing away on Trinity's turf, the speed of the game moved quicker than Amherst was used to. The scoring opportunities for both teams were numerous with several shots zinging just wide of the net. Shots on goal were to Amherst's slight advantage by a margin of eight to six. Even with a number of good scoring chances, neither team could finish, and the two teams went into the locker room after the intermission in a scoreless tie. While both teams came out hard for the second half and again put up a number of shots, the Lord Jeffs' scoring chances were much more threatening. Midway through the second half, senior forward Abby Ouimet ripped a shot that missed just inches wide. Late in the second half, the Trinity goalie was forced to make a diving save after an Amherst shot. Unfortunately, none of the Jeffs shots hit the back wood and the Bantams would live to see overtime.
But Trinity's season extension was a short one. Amherst defense was too solid and the offense simply too patient. A little less than four minutes into the first overtime period Amherst lay claim to their third overtime win of the season.
After an Amherst corner, Trinity managed to clear the ball out of bounds. On the restart, Amherst crossed the ball into the mixer where it played pinball for a bit until Ouimet decided she had enough and sent her team-leading fourth goal into the cage. The team again rushed on the field, not only to celebrate a win but to cap off a remarkable season comeback and a playoff berth.
The Jeffs next traveled to Williamstown to face second-seeded Williams in the opening round of the NESCAC Tournament. Amherst had every reason to be confident heading into the game given their recent performance and their solid victory over Williams earlier in the season, but it was just not to be for the Lord Jeffs.
For Amherst, the defensive highlight of the game came right before the half when freshman goalie Anne McMullin made a diving save to keep the game at 0-1. Yet, the referees decided that wasn't good enough, and called a penalty stroke on McMullin. Ignoring the dubious call, McMullin stopped the stroke and kept the game close.
The Lord Jeffs continued to play honorably, but could not hold back the Ephs this time around. The Williams offense, thriving off the energy generated by homecoming weekend, scored two more goals to win the game and to continue on to the next round of postseason play. For Amherst, the loss marked the end of a season that just seemed to be getting started for the Jeffs.
"It's always difficult to end your season with a loss to Williams," said Ouimet. "But no one can take away our first game in the regular season against them where we played so well and beat them in overtime."
These women have a lot to be proud of. Midway through the season they could have given up and packed it in, but they kept fighting.
Senior midfielder Katherine Ryan was happy with the team's performance, "I would just like to say that we had an amazing group of girls who showed enormous courage fighting until the last minute of our last game," said Ryan.