The offensive barrage started with a first-half goal by sophomore Amy Armstrong. Armstrong scored the opening goal in the game's 12th minute off a through pass from senior forward Tracy Montigny. Armstrong then proceeded to find the back of the net with a powerful shot past Bowdoin goalie Anna Shapell. The Jeffs ended the half up 1-0 and returned to the second half energized and confident.
The second-half fireworks started in the 54th minute when senior tri-captain Ashley Harmeling demonstrated the skill that made her an All-American last year, giving her team a 2-0 lead by redirecting a corner kick into the Bowdoin net.
Up 2-0, the Lord Jeffs refused to relax and continued attacking the Bowdoin net. Their efforts paid off quickly. In the 55th minute, sophomore Jenny Muller took a pass from classmate Lesley Pruzansky and netted her first collegiate goal by sending a deft header past Bowdoin's goalie.
The Jeffs maintained their defensive dominance in the second half, with superb play from goalies Piper Crowell '07 and Scout Durwood '06. Four saves from Crowell and two from Durwood helped the Jeffs focus on offensive matters through the end of the match, which culminated in a fourth goal by junior Kate Biblowitz. Biblowitz's first career goal added insult to injury as she found the net with less than a minute to play in regulation.
The women improved to 3-1-2 overall and 2-0-1 in the conference, remaining undefeated against NESCAC opponents. "We played an excellent game overall. We came together as a team and dominated. We showed what we were capable of," said sophomore Lesley Pruzansky, who played an integral role in many of Amherst's scoring opportunities.
The team played again on Sunday against another NESCAC rival from Maine, Bates College, in a rescheduled match. Over 150 fans came to cheer on the Jeffs in what proved to be a 0-0 double-overtime defensive struggle. Amherst tallied its third tie of the year.
The Bobcats set the tone early in the first half as their forwards hounded Crowell. Bates' Kim Alexander had a shot deflected by the Amherst keeper just 53 seconds into regulation. The Jeffs returned the favor in the fifth minute as senior Tracy Montigny rocketed two shots at the Bobcats' goal. Both were rejected by Bates goalie Emily Howieson.
The rest of the first half of Sunday's game went without any chances for either squad, with both teams playing stifling defense. The Bobcats came back after the intermission with an aggressive attitude. They came out firing, and it appeared that Bates scored a goal 43 seconds in, but it was nullified by an offsides call.
The second-half stalemate continued as both teams featured remarkable play from their keepers. The deadlock transitioned into two overtimes, which ended as each team left the field with a little bit of disappointment.
The outing was a battle of goalies, and Crowell showed why she is a force to be reckoned with in the NESCAC, notching 10 saves in her first shutout of the year. She earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors for her pair of fine performances.
"It was such a frustrating game. We had chances to score but we couldn't capitalize on our opportunities. It was really tough, we wanted to win," said sophomore defender Liz Foley. The Jeffs will get a chance to take out their frustrations on Saturday when they travel to NESCAC opponent Middlebury College.