For the men's soccer team, Saturday's victory against Williams College served as the perfect culmination of the team's regular season run. As it is a preseason goal of every Amherst team to defeat Williams, the game served as a definitive measure of success for the men, as they prepare themselves for postseason play. While their season is far from over, with the NESCAC and NCAA Tournaments looming in the near future, the Jeffs can already reflect on the season with the assurance that they have indeed accomplished something concrete. With the win, the Jeffs both dominated their biggest rival and clinched the NESCAC regular season title, securing their position as host for the NESCAC Tournament next weekend.
The two teams had not met since 2005's season finale. Last year the match was cancelled on account of inclement weather and poor field conditions, allowing Williams an uncontested league title and home-field advantage for the NESCAC Tournament. This year, the weather was similar, but the Williams field held up in the rain and both coaches agreed to play the match, neither wanting to concede anything. Despite having not played each other in quite some time, the intensity of the rivalry was evident from the outset.
In the first half, both teams competed fiercely, with Amherst dominating possession even as Williams produced more scoring chances. With the edge in shots, 7-2, the Ephs looked like they might take an early lead, but the Amherst back line remained unbreakable, with especially solid performances from center-backs Rory O'Connor '09 and Grayson Holland '09. Spurred on by the work of his defenders, Amherst keeper Jeff Grover '09, amply demonstrated his worth with a handful of spectacular saves. Largely due to his efforts, the first half ended scoreless.
Inspired by the determination of their defensemen and the prospect of home field advantage this weekend, Amherst took the field in the second half with renewed vitality. With high-intensity wing play from first-year Chris Skayne and sophomore Mark Crane, the Jeffs seemed to be honing in on the match's first goal. Eighteen minutes into the half, the Jeffs' efforts were rewarded, as Crane, in another one of his flank attacks, sent a long ball to a wide-open Nick Lynch '09 on the opposite corner of the box. Lynch settled the pass, and struck a hard shot past Williams' keeper, Andrew Graham, for a 1-0 Amherst lead. Lynch's goal was all the Jeffs needed, as they closed out the game with a balanced combination of offensive pressure and defensive prudence.
"This is what you play for," added the thoroughly contented tri-captain, Taylor Downs '08. "To beat Williams on their field, to win a NESCAC regular season title." Speaking on behalf of the team, Downs also expressed that, "we don't think the loss to Wesleyan was a setback. It was exactly what we needed. It was a reality check, and we are now more focused and prepared than ever before."
With the victory, the men received a quarterfinal bye this past Sunday and will be hosting the NESCAC Tournament this weekend. Their first opponent will be Bowdoin College, who they defeated earlier this season by a 3-0 margin.