The Jeffs will face Bates College in the quarterfinals on the Bobcats' home court on Saturday. Amherst has only seen Bates twice in NESCAC Tournament history, and each team has brought home a win. But now the pressure is on: the tournament is single-elimination, so an early loss to Bates means the end of Amherst's season.
Amherst, Trinity, and Middlebury Colleges were all tied in NESCAC standings after the weekend's games, but the tiebreaker favored Amherst and granted the Jeffs a crucial sixth seed.
As a result, Amherst avoided challenging match-ups against top seeded, and six-time defending NESCAC Champion Bowdoin College, or the second seeded -powerhouse Tufts University.
The biggest obstacle Amherst will have to overcome heading into the quarterfinals is this past Saturday's painful 73-71 loss to Trinity College. The Bantams and the Jeffs battled their hearts out all game, but Trinity squeaked by with the win. The Jeffs' zone defense made scoring difficult for the Bantams; as a result, Amherst ended the game with a higher shooting percentage. Despite the precise offense, the Jeffs ran into foul trouble, allowing the Bantams to take nearly three times as many free-throws.
The scoreboard was at a stalemate at the half. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Jeffs jumped ahead early in the second half. However, with only six minutes of the game remaining, Trinity inched back into the lead. With only 20 seconds of play left and a score that favored Trinity 72-68, Head Coaches Billy McBride and Lynn Hersey subbed in sophomore guard Stacy Brossy.
Brossy's lucky number must be three. In a total of only three minutes of court time she scored one of the most crucial three-pointers in the game. This performance under pressure gave the Jeffs a chance for a victory as it brought the team within one point of the Bantams with only 14 seconds left on the clock.
The Jeffs dished the ball to tri-captain Stefanie Reiff '08 on their last possession, but the forward was unable to sink a decisive jump shot. The shot may have fallen short, but Reiff carried her team to that fateful point. Reiff had a tremendous game, recording 23 points and nine rebounds, along with a perfect free-throw percentage. In addition, rookie standout, forward Sam Swensen '10, made her presence known once again. The first-year standout forward saw the most court time of any Jeff, tallying 13 points and eight rebounds.
Swensen and Reiff paved the way for the Jeffs, but they were supported by solid performances from their teammates. Senior tri-captain guard Jenny Muller, who was honored during Saturday's game for her remarkable career as a Lord Jeff basketball player, contributed seven points and five assists. Amherst will look to their lone senior to lead the team through the postseason with unmatched experience.
The Jeffs will really have to come together as a team this week. Postseason play is the most difficult, but also has the likeliness of being the most rewarding. There is not much left for the team to learn at this stage of the season, but what might separate a true competitor from any other team at this point is the ability to support one's teammates, have faith in each other and one's self, and leave every ounce of effort on the court. If Amherst can overcome the pressure and intensity of the NESCAC Tournament and play like a unified team, the Jeffs will finish the tournament successfully regardless of a win or loss.
NESCAC Notes
The Bowdoin Polar Bears have won six consecutive NESCAC Campionship titles and are ranked number two in the nation by d3hoops.com.