CAC).
On Tuesday, the squad started out slowly against Springfield College, and never gained enough momentum to take the win, allowing the Pride to post a slight 56-50 victory. Amherst was unable to make any connections out of the gates. The Jeffs finally got on the board when senior co-captain forward Katie Latham hit two free throws and sophomore guard Shaina Pollack hit a jumper from the field after almost eight minutes of play. Though Springfield managed to build a 10 point advantage, the Jeffs-led by rookie Yasmine Harik-fought their way back and led 23-20 at the break.
Although the squad was able to hold Springfield to 30.2 percent from the floor and forced 17 turnovers, the Pride went on a late 15-0 run from which the team was unable to recover. With 1:17 to play the Jeffs came within one point of the Pride, but Springfield was solid at the free throw line, securing the win. The Jeffs were paced by senior forward Julie Smith, who recorded 13 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Sophomore guard Stephanie Reiff added 10 points, while first-year Amanda Otieno dished out a team-high four assists.
The weekend's games were not nearly as close as the matchup against Springfield. Despite Amherst taking an early lead, Bates College-ranked first in the conference-dealt the Jeffs a hard blow on Friday, posting an 83-41 victory on their home court. Sophomore guard Jenny Muller started the game by notching eight points in the first five minutes as Amherst jumped out to a 12-6 lead. Bates was able to capitalize on turnovers caused by sloppy ball control in subsequent few possessions, tying the score at 14 all. The Bobcats held a 33-24 edge at halftime.
After the break, NESCAC Player of the Week Bobcat Meg Coffin hit nine points within the first 4:44 minutes of play, igniting a strong 21-4 Bates run. Though Latham and Reiff hit a few mid-game baskets, it wasn't enough to start any sort of comeback. Bates continued to widen the lead to 30 and then 40 within the final minutes. Muller led the Jeffs with 14 points-all in the first half-while Reiff finished the game with nine points and four assists. Sophomore guard Anne-Claire Roesch grabbed a team-high six rebounds and added a block.
In what seems to be a disheartening trend, the Jeffs started slowly against Tufts University on Saturday, and did not build enough momentum to catch the Jumbos, who secured a 62-41 win and the seventh seed in the NESCAC Tournament. Holding the Jeffs to just 19 percent from the field, the Jumbos jumped out to a quick lead and consistently outplayed the Jeffs.
Tufts controlled the pace of the first half, going on a 16-2 run in the final minutes to hold a 37-11 edge at the break. The second half saw more of the same from both teams, as the Jumbos went up by as much as 37 points. Sparked by a jumper from senior guard Ali Flato, the Jeffs gunned their engines the last minutes of the game, outscoring the Jumbos 24-8 as the clock wore out.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to catch Tufts, who had built too strong an advantage in the beginning of the game. Latham and Smith ended the game with nine points each, while Latham added six rebounds and six assists. Reiff added seven points, while Muller and Pollack each contributed six.
Although the last few games were rough, Amherst managed to come out on top against Russell Sage, ending the regular season with a 64-38 win on Monday night. Early in the game, neither team was able to collect much offensive power or rhythm. The squads traded baskets until Amherst was able to hit six straight points and build the first strong lead of the match. The game continued slowly, with stagnation at 20-15 for at least four minutes, and Amherst was able to hold a slight 21-17 edge at the break.
Russell Sage came out strong in the first few minutes of the second half, stealing the lead from the Jeffs. But Amherst responded with a full-court press, which was enough to frazzle the Gators and allow Amherst to regain and build its lead. With a strong defensive effort, Amherst forced a number of turnovers, coasting to a 24-point triumph. Senior co-captain guard Krissy Morin led the Jeffs with 12 points, while Latham added 10 of her own. Smith helped the score with eight points and six rebounds and Reiff notched seven points and snatched four steals. "Our last game at home was bittersweet; it was sad but it was really great to be able to go out on a high note in a win where our whole team contributed," said Morin.
Amherst now faces Williams in the first postseason game. Ranked fifth and fourth, respectively, the archrivals will tip off on Saturday in Williamstown, Mass. "This weekend is especially important to the seniors because we have yet to beat them in our four years here at Amherst and we have been given another opportunity to play them," said Morin. "Only this time, it would be a huge upset and would give us the chance to move on to the second round. We are preparing for Williams with our defense, our offense feeds off of our intensity on defense and if we can shut them down we will be successful."
NESCAC Notes
The NESCAC Tournament is set to start this weekend. Bates secured the number-one spot, and Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University fell in at two and three, respectively. Bowdoin grabbed a big 70-60 win against Williams last weekend, placing them right behind Bates in the conference rankings. Though the Amherst-Williams rivalry seems to be the biggest competition this coming weekend, seventh-ranked Tufts could throw Bowdoin for a loop. Bates should have no problem against number-eight Colby, as the Bobcats' offensive power has been unmatched thus far in the NESCAC.