On Saturday, the men defeated the Westfield State Owls. Coming off of a NESCAC Tournament semi-final loss to Middlebury College, the Jeffs jumped out to an early lead. Thirteen minutes into the game, senior co-captain forward Mike Wohl made a run on the right side of the field and completed a precision pass to Jacob Duker '09, who finished the play with a goal.
The Owls tied the game before halftime on a long throw in, but the Jeffs soon proved too much for their local rival. Midfielder Ryan O'Donnell '08 had two assists, one for Duker, who finished the game with two goals, and another to midfielder Robert Denious '10. Denious played his first key NCAA minutes, delivering a powerful goal by beating his defender after a pass from O'Donnell.
Though the Jeffs had defeated the Western New England Golden Bears earlier in the season to catapult them into the national title picture, they weren't able to repeat that feat. This time, the Golden Bears played their customary conservative style and denied the Jeffs the chance to replicate their early success.
With 22 minutes remaining in the first half, the Golden Bears capitalized on a broken play, and Mike Zawislack, scored the eventual game-winner. From that point on, WNEC relied on goalie Chris Wilk, who turned away several promising Amherst shots. As O'Donnell put it, "WNEC is notorious is for playing well with the lead. Really sloppy field position made it difficult to get anything going. Its not an excuse, but it definitely worked to their style. Throughout, we had two or three chances but, their goalie made several sensational saves."
Despite a steady downpour and the pressure of the season's biggest game in front of a home crowd, the Jeffs attempted a furious comeback. Midfielder Nicholas Lynch '09 took two shots during a flurry of offensive activity 14 minutes into the second half. Duker followed with two more, but neither found the back of the net. Outshooting the Owls 16-9 throughout the game, Amherst's efforts were an impressive demonstration of heart, despite the unfortunate outcome.
The season ended with distinction both for the team and for certain individuals. Senior co-captains Wohl and Robert Madden were awarded All-NESCAC honors, with Wohl making the first team and Madden the second. Forward Taylor Downs '08 was also named to the second team, and midfielder Matt Lewis '10 was named Rookie of the Year.
The Jeffs finished the season with a mixed bag of emotions. "This has been by far the best team [I've been on] in every sense," said Madden. "It is rare that such a large bunch of guys get along so well while at the same time being able to play at at very high level. We played every game well and earned two NCAA home games. You can't be upset or sad when the season that just ended is by far the most fun and successful you have had in four years."
Seniors Ian Lovett, Wohl, and Madden are set to graduate in the spring, and Peter Gooding, the team's co-head coach, is retiring. Despite the mutual sense of loss by underclassmen, upperclassmen and coaching staff, those who end their tenure with Amherst soccer can depart knowing that they were involved in a season that will serve as a building block for the future of the program.
NESCAC Notes
Williams College advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament by beating Keene State University, 4-0. Wesleyan University, Middlebury College and Amherst were all eliminated in the second round.