Around the Herd: Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 in Athletics
In this week’s Around the Herd: Cross country thrives, women’s soccer beats Conn College, and volleyball takes down Middlebury.
Football
The football team took on Trinity College at home this past weekend.
In their Senior Day game, the Mammoths started strong against the Bantams with an interception by Luke Harmon ’26. Marek Hill ’28 took right off from where Harmon left it, throwing a touchdown to Matthew Diaz ’27 in the very next play. The game’s next score came from Hudson Fulcher-Melendy ’28, kicking a field goal to put the Mammoths up 10-0. Intense defense from Trinity, however, prevented Amherst from scoring further in the first half. In the second half’s first drive, Kermit Fisher ’26 forced a fumble to give the possession back to Amherst. Fisher’s fumble proved valuable, as the Mammoths scored another touchdown to make the score 28-17 in Trinity’s favor. Another field goal early in the fourth quarter by Fulcher-Melendy narrowed Trinity’s lead to only eight points. Despite the Mammoths’ best efforts, Trinity held onto their lead. Offensive highlights from this game were Carter Jung ’26, who had 83 receiving yards from five receptions, and Owen Gaydos ’25, who led the team in receptions with seven for 65 yards. Harmon was the defensive highlight, racking up ten total tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble. The match ended 45-20 as a win for Trinity.
The team goes on the road next Saturday to play rival Williams College in their last game of the season.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team faced off against Connecticut College in the NESCAC Tournament’s first round this past Saturday.
Amherst and Conn College played a very even game, a battle of individual brilliance to tip the scales in one side’s favor. The Camels were able to make that critical difference first, scoring in the 32nd minute. The intensity continued throughout the first half, but no team was able to capitalize on their chances. The second half started with even more intensity, with both teams collectively fouling 19 times. The Mammoths would finally get their chance when Mohammed Nuhu ’27 crossed the ball to the far post. Michael Cherico ’28 met the cross and sent a powerful header into the back of the net, equalizing and sending the crowd into a frenzy. The score was still tied as the second half ended, sending the game into overtime. In both overtime periods, Amherst played superb defense to prevent Conn College from taking the lead. After overtime ended, the game came down to a penalty shootout. Amherst’s first two penalty takers, Nuhu and Niall Murphy ’25, both buried their penalties to keep the Mammoths in the game. This was not enough, though, as Conn’s goalie prevented the next two penalty takers from scoring. The Camels pulled out an extremely narrow and heartbreaking victory, winning the penalty shootout 4-2 after a 1-1 score in regulation time.
The team now eagerly awaits its draw in the NCAA Championship Tournament, hoping to go all the way this year.
Men’s Cross Country
The men’s cross country team competed in the NESCAC Championships this past Saturday.
Harrison Dow ’27 led the team again, earning fourth place at the championship with a 24:53 time. Nick Edwards-Levin ’25 followed closely behind, clocking in at 24:59 and placing seventh. Both Dow and Edwards-Levin garnered All-NESCAC First Team honors for finishing in the top seven. Stan Craig ’27, the next Mammoth to cross the finish line, earned 17th overall. Henry Dennen ’26 and Aidan Gemme ’26 were the fourth and fifth runners from Amherst, placing 19th and 30th respectively. The Mammoths’ impressive performance resulted in a second-overall finish for the team in the NESCAC Championships.
The team will return in two weeks for the NCAA Mideast Regionals and try to earn their place at the NCAA Championships.
Women’s Cross Country
This past weekend, the women’s cross country team traveled to Bowdoin to participate in the NESCAC Championships.
Flora Biro ’28 finished seventh place for the Mammoths, with a personal best time of 21:09. Sylvan Wold ’25 finished 10th overall, only six seconds after Biro. Julia Schor ’25, Hannah Stephenson ’28, and Claire Callon ’25 crossed the finish line at 17th, 26th, and 30th, respectively. Biro’s performance earned her All-NESCAC First Team honors, while Wold collected All-NESCAC Second Team honors for her placement. Amherst’s efforts paid off at the NESCAC Championships, finishing second overall as a team.
In two weeks, the team will head to Connecticut to compete in the NCAA Mideast Regionals, looking to place into the NCAA Championships.
Women’s Soccer
Over the weekend, the women’s soccer team faced Middlebury College in the NESCAC quarterfinals.
The first ten minutes of the match were uneventful. The ball ricocheted around the midfield, and neither team recorded a shot on goal. Eventually, in the eleventh minute, Sierra Rosado ’25 ripped a shot from outside the box. Although it was saved by the goalkeeper, it launched an offensive onslaught. By the halfway point of the first half, Amherst’s pressure broke through as Patience Kum ’25 found an open Abby Schwartz ’25 for an easy finish. Kum’s assist was her eighth of the season—a NESCAC high. The Mammoths recorded another seven shots during the half, though none could find the back of the net. Middlebury played better offensively in the second half, but Amherst’s defense stepped up, too. Mika Fisher ’25 recorded five saves, and the rest of the Mammoth backline cleared every loose ball to stall the Panther offense. In the end, the score remained at 1-0, earning Amherst the victory.
The women’s soccer team will face Wesleyan on Saturday, hoping to advance to the NESCAC championship finals.
Field Hockey
The field hockey team competed in the NESCAC quarterfinals against Tufts on Saturday afternoon.
Tufts scored on their first shot attempt at the ten-minute mark, putting the Mammoths in a position to chase the lead for most of the game. But it was only in the fourth quarter that Amherst began to put pressure on the Jumbos’ backline. With only a dozen seconds left in the game, Caroline Busler ’28 scored the equalizer off an assist from Isa Lattuada ’26. Although Grace Puchalski ’27 recorded six saves during the overtime period, the offense was unable to capitalize, and the game ended in a penalty shootout. The Mammoths missed all their attempts, losing the shootout 0-3 and forfeiting their place in the tournament.
The unfortunate loss ended the team’s season with a 9-7 record.
Volleyball
Amherst’s volleyball team faced Middlebury and Williams on Saturday and Sunday.
Against Middlebury, the Mammoths took an early lead by winning the first two sets. Charlotte Rasmussen ’26 led the charge with three service aces, securing both sets with a score of 25-22. Middlebury bounced back to take the third and fourth sets, setting up a thrilling fifth set. After some back-and-forth action, Amherst held a narrow 6-5 lead before pulling ahead with an 8-1 run, highlighted by an impressive combined block from Renee Liou ’26 and Abby Nichols ’28, allowing the team to breeze to victory. A final kill by Liou sealed the set at 15-10, also sealing the match for the Mammoths. Lizzie Papalia ’25 recorded three service aces on the night.
The team’s Senior Day began with an excellent performance in the first set. Although the Ephs were up 22-19, the Mammoths rallied with five straight points, clinching the set at 25-23 with a kill from senior Anaya Thomas ’25. The team took a 10-4 lead in the second set but was unable to channel their energy from the first set, allowing Williams to slowly gnaw at their lead and win the set 28-26. Despite Amherst’s eight recorded kills in the third set, the Ephs started to control the game, never trailing after the set’s 4-4 start. It seemed like the Mammoths were rejuvenated in the fourth set, taking an early 8-2 lead, but the Ephs were quickly able to get back on their feet, going on a seven-point run, thereafter clinching the set 25-19. Williams won 3-1.
Amherst ended their 2024 season with a winning 11-10 record.
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