Despite valiant efforts, the field hockey team suffered a pair of losses this past week against 20th-ranked Springfield College and the number one team in the nation Bowdoin College. Though the Jeffs dominated play at times in both games, they were unable to withstand the opponents’ offensive pressure. The losses drop Amherst to 3-3 on the season and 2-2 in the NESCAC.
As sophomore midfielder Carly Leahy noted, consistency will be key to Amherst’s future success. “In the Springfield game we came out strong but we had lapses of energy once our opponent responded,” she said. “We need to play aggressively and consistently for a full 70 minutes, understanding the importance of every single play in deciding the outcome of the game. When we do so, our team is successful.”
Though the Springfield Pride had multiple scoring opportunities in the first half, the Lord Jeffs’ defense was able to repel the Springfield attack, and the first frame ended in a scoreless tie. The Jeffs picked up the pace in the second half, outshooting their opponents 11-5. But with just over 22 minutes left in the match, Amherst suffered a defensive breakdown and the Pride pounced on the opening, netting the deciding goal of the match.
“I think we were prepared for the game and were ready to go out and play,” said junior forward Haley Douds. “We just need to capitalize on our scoring opportunities, especially on corners. We dominated the game, but just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
The Jeffs had to quickly put the loss behind them in order to focus on an even bigger match-up against NESCAC rival and defending national champion Bowdoin College. In the last meeting between the two teams—an unranked Amherst team and a top-seeded Polar Bear squad—Bowdoin was surprised by the tenacity of the Amherst players, and the Polar Bears barely eked out a 1-0 win in double overtime.
This time, Bowdoin came to play from the first whistle, while Amherst appeared nervous and unfocused. The Jeffs found themselves behind 3-0 as they headed for the lockers at the halfway mark and they knew that they would have to make some changes in the second half in order to turn the game around.
“We picked our heads up and forgot about the first half,” said Douds. “We played our game; we spread out the field and started creating great passing patterns. We didn’t want to come away from the game feeling like we gave up from the beginning, so we pretended like the second half was the start of the game and just went out there to compete and have fun.”
Amherst did just that, holding the Polar Bears scoreless in the final period while Douds notched a stellar goal off of a well-executed penalty corner. The goal marked the first time that Bowdoin has been scored on this season, giving the Jeffs some much needed confidence in their offense.
“Once we settled into playing our smart passing game, we scored the first goal that Bowdoin has seen against them,” noted Leahy. “We have the skill, the attitude, and the leadership that will allow us to be successful. We know at this point that we can compete with anyone, as long as we step out onto the field each day believing in our skills and our teammates.”
In the coming weeks, the Jeffs will need to prove their ability to win close games. They must improve on their transition defense and stay calm in high-pressure situations. If they successfully do so and pull out wins against third-ranked Tufts University and fourth-ranked Trinity College, they will be in an excellent position to secure a high seed in the NESCAC Tournament.