Special teams were the difference in the game at RIT, as all five goals were scored while one team had a player in the penalty box. The Tigers took control of the game in the first period, converting on two of their four power play opportunities.
Early in the second period, the Lord Jeffs cut RIT’s lead in half when Randi Zukas ’11 took advantage of an Amherst power play chance. The goal, which was assisted by Julia Koch ’11 and Tarasai Karega ’09, was Zukas’ third tally of the season. The Tigers responded to Amherst’s only score of the game with two more of their own in the period, the first while short-handed and the second on a power play.
The four goals the Lord Jeffs allowed were the most by the team since Dec. 2007. Amherst successfully killed only four of seven of its opponent’s power plays and was able to convert just one of its 11 opportunities.
Stephanie Clegg ’12 offered insight into RIT’s success. “We got off to a slow start and were really hurt by the number of penalties we got in the second period. RIT was able to set up their power play and execute well. Once they scored the first goal, they gained momentum and confidence in their power play units. Each power play, they came out and successfully executed.”
In the second of Amherst’s two games in upstate New York, the Lord Jeffs rebounded nicely as they wound up on the other side of another lopsided affair. Zukas got her second goal of the weekend just 22 seconds into the game against Buffalo State University.
Clegg said it was the team’s goal, following its disappointing loss, to jump on the Bengals early. “Our game against RIT sent a shock through our team and we realized that we needed to come out firing from the first minute of the game. We were determined to jump on Buffalo [State] right away and score early to set the pace,” she said.
Sophomores Megan Curry and Brittney Evans scored their third and fourth goals of the season, respectively, to build the Lord Jeff lead to three by the end of the second period. Buffalo State then responded by beating first-year goalie Sinead Murphy twice in a three-minute span to cut the Lord Jeff lead to only one. But Amherst got right back on the board as team scoring leader Courtney Hanlon ’11 got her 10th goal of the season. Before the final buzzer sounded, Koch added to the lead by scoring a fifth goal and then assisting on first-year Ellen Swiontkowski’s first career goal.
The game against the Bengals marked the fifth time that the Lord Jeffs have scored at least six goals in a game. In the dominating effort, Amherst out-shot Buffalo State 43-13.
Next weekend the Lord Jeffs will face their closest competitor for the NESCAC title, Middlebury, and their biggest rival, Williams.
Clegg said the two games will provide a challenge for the Jeffs. “This weekend will be a true test to our team’s resiliency. Midd will be feistier than ever, seeking vengeance for our earlier win. This week, we’re taking it one day at a time and focusing on mastering our special teams play. We’ll have to be careful with penalties this weekend because they’ve been catching up to us and resulting in opponents’ goals. We’ll have to come out fast and firing this weekend.”