Men's lacrosse will play archrival Williams College this Saturday in a must-win contest that will be crucial if Amherst wants to host a NESCAC Tournament first-round match. The Jeffs are currently tied with Bowdoin for fourth in the NESCAC at 4-3 but hold the tiebreaker after hammering the Polar Bears 11-2 on Saturday. Bowdoin plays cellar dwellers Colby and Trinity Colleges during the week, so Amherst must win against Williams on Saturday to ensure it hosts a first-round opener. Williams has performed poorly this year and sports a 2-5 NESCAC mark, but is only one game out of the playoffs and should need little incentive to fight hard against the Jeffs on Saturday. Look for Amherst's leading scorer, first-year Derek Cherney, to improve on the five hat tricks he has amassed thus far in 2004.