Meeting expectations, Bowdoin proved to be a formidable opponent by going on the offensive as soon as the starting whistle blew. Only five minutes into the match, Shavonne Lord of Bowdoin drove a shot towards the net that went just wide of the post. But despite the aggressive momentum of the Polar Bears, the Jeffs refused to be intimidated and increased their level of defense in response.
Amherst’s top-notch defense set the groundwork for its eventual victory. Goalkeeper Emily Vitale ’11, posting five saves in the first half alone, continually frustrated the Polar Bears in their attempts to score. Even though Bowdoin out-shot Amherst 8-1 in the opening half and took four penalty corner kicks, Vitale and Amherst defenders kept the opponents off the scoreboard. A dangerous moment for the Jeffs occurred with three minutes left in the first half when Vitale was out of position, but veteran defender tri-captain Tierney Healey ’10 knocked the offending shot away from the strike zone.
In the second half of the match, the Amherst offensive was ready to make an impact. First-year forward Katie McMahon gave an impressive rookie performance, helping to set up a penalty corner by tracking down a loose ball at the opponents’ end of the field. McMahon’s corner pass was relayed to Sarah McCarrick ’11, who managed to spot midfielder Carly Dudzik ’12 in prime position. Just inside the striking circle, Dudzik outwitted the Bowdoin keeper to net the first goal for Amherst. Ten minutes later, the Jeffs took advantage of another penalty corner kick to score a second goal. McMahon made a clean pass to midfielder Casey Silver ’12, who in turn set up forward Elizabeth Schink ’11 for a shot. With more than 16 minutes left on the clock, Schink tipped the shot inside for a 2-0 lead.
Although Bowdoin crafted several opportunities to edge closer to the net, Amherst kept them scoreless until the end. The Jeffs are thrilled with the upset and look towards cementing their status as a top team in the NESCAC.
“Our team is extremely excited to have just beaten the number one team in the nation,” exclaimed senior tri-captain Haley Douds. “We have always had the skill to beat them, but this year we had the confidence. We truly believed we could come out on top and weren’t surprised when we did. It was a great first game of the season and we cannot wait to face other tough opponents such as Tufts and Middlebury.”
Amherst field hockey knows that it is a team to contend with this season, and the Jeffs hope to build up their winning potential to a very successful season run.
“The victory against Bowdoin feels amazing, but we know that this is only the beginning of an incredibly tough schedule. We are, as always, taking the season one game at a time,” said Schink ’11.
“We know that we have sent a message to all of the teams, and we do not plan to back down,” she added. “If anything, we are hungry to prove that what happened against Bowdoin was not a fluke. We know that we will have to work hard in every practice and every game this year in order to prove that we are here to stay. And, trust me, after knowing how good it felt to beat Bowdoin, we are ready to put in the work. Bring it on!”
On Tuesday, the Jeffs picked up a convincing 8-0 victory over Smith College. Continuing to utilize their successful strategies in offense, they outshot the Pioneers 27 to 3. By the end of the first half, the Jeffs had a comfortable 5-0 lead. McMahon put Amherst on the scoreboard 11 minutes into the match, and sophomore forward Chrissy Cantore netted a pair of goals within the next five minutes. The teamwork of McMahon and Silver around a corner kick resulted in the team's fourth goal. Junior Julie Santosuosso concluded the action-packed opening half by scoring off of an assist from Dudzik.
Despite leading by a wide margin, the Jeffs refused to rein in their offense. At the start of the second half, Cantore charged through the Pioneers' defense to tally her third goal of the game. First-year Kaitlin McInnis scored her first collegiate goal with an assist from Dudzik. And Santosuosso wrapped up the match for Amherst with her second goal at 49:53.
The Jeffs have dominated the competition so far and look to continue their win streak by taking on NESCAC rival Tufts University on Saturday.