The field hockey team hit the road last week, first heading east to Babson College where they secured a 1-0 non-conference win and then up north to Waterville, Me., where karma paid a visit in a 0-1 loss to Colby College. The Jeffs now stand at 6-5 overall, 2-4 NESCAC.

In their first matchup in Babson Park, the Jeffs saw what a team on a seven-game win streak could do, fending off bids by the Beavers' offense the better part of the first half. Senior tri-captain goalie Kathleen Boucher was in prime form, making three of her four saves in the first stanza. She was backed up by the always stingy Jeffs D, including a critical defensive save by junior Louise Stevenson with two minutes remaining in the half. Senior tri-captain forward Christa Porcaro nearly broke the stalemate with 10 ticks on the board, only to be stopped on a diving defensive save by a Babson defender. By half's end, the Jeffs were outshot 7-2 and took only one penalty corner to Babson's six.

With no desire to let the outcome of the game linger, the Jeffs stormed out of the halftime gates and within four minutes sophomore Haley Douds, with a beautiful assist by first-year Julie Santosuosso, found the back of the Babson net. Despite level play from Babson in the second frame, the Jeffs were able to hold on for the win and head west down Route 90 at 6-4.

On Saturday the Jeffs trucked up I-95 to Vacationland to do battle with NESCAC foe Colby, who at that point had yet to win a NESCAC game. However, three of the Mules' six conference losses were in overtime. In a brutal offensive shootout, Boucher notched 11 saves on the day, allowing only one goal in 70 minutes of play. But the Jeffs' offense could not reciprocate, despite 12 shots and seven penalty corners. The loss puts the Jeffs at 2-4 in the NESCAC, good for sole possession of seventh place.

"I think the one-goal games show that we're definitely just as skilled as the other teams, but we need to work on finishing," said Boucher. "The Babson game was a great win on astro-turf because we don't usually play on that surface so it requires a faster pace and different skill set. The Colby loss was rough since our past three NESCAC games have been 1-0 games [all losses]."

But there is a silver lining to this dark cloud. With only three NESCAC matchups remaining-games against Wesleyan University and Connecticut and Williams Colleges-Amherst is still in control of its own postseason destiny. Should the Jeffs win out their regular season slate, they will by their own steam propel themselves to fifth place in the conference. Trinity College is currently in fourth place, and the Bantams' only two remaining matchups are against the respective first- and second-place teams, Bowdoin and Middlebury Colleges. Thus the Jeffs can potentially gain the fourth seed in the NESCAC Tournament, securing home field advantage for the first round of play.

But the Jeffs are taking it one game at a time, with their next challenge coming against the Cardinals of Wesleyan this Saturday at 11:00 at Gooding Field.