Coming off a key 1-0 victory over archrival Williams College the day before, the second-seeded Jeffs-boating a 9-1-4 overall record and an unblemished 6-0-3 NESCAC mark-had entered the game poised to defend their 2003 NESCAC Championship title. Instead, they dropped a very controversial loss-the game ended on a referee's questionable overtime call-to a rejuvenated Camel team that wanted revenge after Amherst's 2-0 shutout win earlier in the season. And with that, the first season of new Head Coach Jen Hughes' Amherst career came to close.
Amherst's season was characterized by a well-oiled offensive attack that controlled the tempo and mood of most games. Senior forwards Tracy Montigny, Adrienne Showler and 2003 NESCAC Player of the Year tri-captain Ashley Harmeling were relentless attackers, nearly always managing to push through defenses and find open spots for goals. With 12 goals among them, the senior trio dismantled defenses all over New England.
Despite the disappointing ending to the playoffs, the true team effort that went into Amherst's fine regular season should not be forgotten. Along with the senior trio of attackers, Amy Armstrong '07, Jenny Muller '07, Lesley Pruzansky '07, tri-captain Leslie Curren '05, Kate Biblowitz '06 and Lee-Jay Henry '05 each added to the team's season total of 24 goals.
An excellent example of the Jeffs' diverse offensive attack came in their sixth game. The women traveled to Brunswick, Maine and went on to thrash Bowdoin College in a 4-0 win in which four different Amherst players scored goals. The fact that the team's 19 assists were spread out between nine different players is indicative of the unselfish drive to win that characterized the team.
The women could not have been so aggressive on offense if they had not felt secure about the person guarding their net. With star goalie Piper Crowell '07 between the pipes for the second year in a row, their security was warranted. Crowell carried the Jeffs through a difficult offensive stretch in early October, posting a 498-minute scoreless streak and grabbing NESCAC Player of the Week and ECAC Div. III New England Goaltender of the Week honors for her play. She was dominant in goal and with some help from junior goalie Scout Durwood, accumulated eight shutouts in Amherst's 16 games.
Unlike last year, consistency and communication were a hallmark of the Jeffs' play all season long.
Amherst suffered through mid-season draws against Middlebury and Bates Colleges, yet they were scoreless draws that showcased the Jeffs' stingy defense. After their draw against the Panthers, the Jeffs ended their scoreless streak with a 2-0 win over the Mt. Holyoke College Lyons.
Montigny tallied a pair of assists and scored the game-winning goal 7:19 into the second overtime to lead the team to a hard-fought 3-2 victory over NESCAC foe Colby College on the following Saturday.
Amherst went on to trounce Little Three rival Wesleyan University 3-0 late in the season before the final regular-season battle with Williams on Oct. 30. Sophomore Jenny Muller notched the game winner in the 69th minute as the Jeffs claimed sole possession of the Little Three title and clinched the number-two seed and a first-round home game in the NESCAC Tournament with a 1-0 win.
Despite the momentum garnered from the Williams match, the Jeffs' offense was stifled in the first round of the NESCAC Tournament by a motivated Conn. defense. After 85 minutes of deadlocked play, Crowell made what appeared to be a save when the ball was kicked out of her hands and into the goal by Conn.'s Lucy Strong. Despite furious protests by Amherst's coach and bench, the referee did not call the seemingly illegal goal off, bitterly ending Amherst's season.
The loss ended the team's hopes of sending their strong senior class out on top of the NESCAC. Showler's comments wrapped the season up well. "It was a very difficult season to leave behind, in part because I think everyone on the team knows we have the potential to beat any opponent in this league. But despite a devastating loss to Conn., it was truly memorable," she said. "Our team's success this year arose from the combination of team chemistry and a phenomenal coaching staff, who really worked with us tactically, pushed us hard, and always reminded us to enjoy the game. As for the team itself, I think we all felt privileged to be playing with one another."