Men's Soccer Rebounds With 1-0 Victory Over Hamilton

Men’s soccer prevailed over Hamilton College on Sept. 18 after losing to NESCAC foe Bowdoin on Sept. 11. The team rode its staunch defense to preserve a 1-0 advantage gained in the 16th minute for the victory.

Men's Soccer Rebounds With 1-0 Victory Over Hamilton

Following their Sept. 11 loss to Bowdoin in their opening match of conference play, men’s soccer rebounded with a triumph over Hamilton on Saturday, Sept. 18. It comes on the heels of a win against Manhattanville the prior Wednesday, which saw the Mammoths score in the opening minutes and maintain their 1-0 lead via a powerful defensive effort.

Over 145 were in attendance for Saturday’s matchup against the Continentals at Hitchcock Field.

The Mammoths dominated the opening minutes by shots on goal, as Hamilton tallied a total of four saves before Kyle Kelly ’22E scored in the 16th minute off a corner kick from Ada Okorogheye ’23. Okorogheye’s cross was initially lost in a scramble within the penalty box, but Kelly quickly recovered and found the back of the net with his strike.

Hamilton did not receive a good scoring opportunity until the 30th minute, but the free kick was saved by Amherst goalkeeper Bernie White ’22.

The second half proved more fortunate for the Continentals, but the team repeatedly failed to convert their opportunities into points — once again thanks to White’s command over his box. In the 67th minute, for instance, Hamilton back Luke O’Dowd shot the ball from deep on the right side towards the top-left corner, but White merely knocked the ball out of play.

Saturday’s match marks Amherst’s 10th victory over the Continentals in 10 years. The Mammoths finished last week’s play at 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the NESCAC following an early loss to Bowdoin — a show of strength that confirms the team’s promising outlook this season.

The Mammoths will return to play on Thursday, Sept. 23 to face Saint Joseph’s (ME) at 4 p.m. for a non-conference match at Hitchcock Field.