Multiple Amherst Sports Teams Capture Victories Over Fall Break
Amherst sports continued their seasons this past weekend, with most teams competing during fall break. Here’s how the weekend’s results shook out:
Men’s Soccer:
Saturday, Oct. 9 @ Wesleyan University: 2-2 Tie (OT)
Sunday, Oct. 10 vs. Bates College: 2-0 Win
First traveling to Wesleyan to face the Cardinals in a NESCAC bout, the men’s soccer team walked off the field with a tie after 120 minutes of play. Going down 1-0 in the first 15 minutes of play, the Mammoths rallied back, with Gabe Gitler ’22 tying the game with a 47th minute strike to the upper-ninety, and German Giammattei ’22 scoring to give the Mammoths the lead later in the second half. Wesleyan would tie the game at 2-2 with 10 minutes to go, and after 20 minutes of overtime, the game would end in a tie. Not to be deterred, the Mammoths would return to their winning ways on Sunday, beating Bates 2-0. Ignacio Cubeddu ’24 opened the scoring with an impressive individual effort, beating two defenders before sending a hard-hit shot into the top corner of the net, and Giammattei sealed the win in the 80th minute, chipping the Bobcats’ keeper for his sixth goal of the season.
Next Up: Oct. 16 @ Tufts, 3:00 p.m.
Women’s Soccer:
Saturday, Oct. 9 @ Wesleyan University: 1-0 Win
Sunday, Oct. 10 vs. Bates College: 3-2 Win
Facing Wesleyan on Saturday, women’s soccer put the first blemish on the Cardinals’ 2021 record, winning 1-0 in a nail biter. In a contest where shooting opportunities and good scoring chances were hard to come by, the Mammoths made their breakthrough in the 60th minute, with first-year Patience Kum ’25 beating a defender to a through ball from Julia Ralph ’22E, dribbling past the goalie, and slotting the ball home. That score would hold despite a tense last 10 minutes of play, and the Mammoths would leave Middletown with the win. On Sunday, the team returned to the field against Bates College. Ruby Hastie ’22 notched the first goal of the game after eight minutes of play, with her shot deflecting off the keeper’s hands into the net for her sixth goal of the season. Sarah Sullivan ’23 would make the score 2-0 early in the second half, netting her first of the season before the Bobcats scored to narrow the gap to 2-1. Abby Schwartz ’24 would stretch the lead to 3-1, but another goal from Bates with 12 minutes to go brought the score to 3-2, where it would stay until the final whistle.
Next Up: Oct. 16 @ Tufts, 12:00 p.m.
Field Hockey:
Saturday, Oct. 9 @ Wesleyan University: 3-2 Win (OT)
Sunday, Oct. 10 vs. Bates College: 1-0 Win
Beating the Cardinals on Saturday 3-2 in double overtime, the field hockey team won yet another NESCAC contest, but not without drama. After going down 1-0 only 43 seconds into the second quarter, Abbey Kays ’25 got her fourth goal of the season, threading a low shot through the Wesleyan net-minder’s legs to tie the game at 1-1. Beth Williamson ’23 would capitalize on a corner opportunity right before halftime to give the Mammoths a 2-1 lead off an assist from Muffie Mazambani ’24, but the Cardinals equalized with 2:20 to go in the game to send it to overtime. After forcing a second overtime period, Natalie Hobbs ’23 would end the game with a low shot through traffic that found the inside of the far post. But the Mammoths weren’t done, notching another win in thrilling fashion the next day against Bates 1-0. Mazambani would score her eighth goal of the season in the win, sealing the game after only 11 minutes off an assist from Williamson.
Next Up: Oct. 16 @ Tufts, 12:00 p.m.
Volleyball:
Friday, Oct. 8. @ Connecticut College: 3-1 Win
Saturday, Oct. 9 @ Wesleyan University: 3-1 Win
Tuesday, Oct. 12 @ Emmanuel College: 3-0 Win
While others were picking pumpkins and tasting pie, volleyball was demonstrating its on-court dominance, winning all three of its matchups over fall break. The Firedogs faced little resistance against Conn, as they finished the match with an advantage in nearly every statistical category. On an individual level, Jamie Dailey ’22E led the team in kills, aces and digs in a four-set Amherst victory. Volleyball faced stiffer competition against 10-1 Wesleyan. Although each set was determined by five points or fewer, the Firedogs were again able to win in four sets behind a balanced team effort. The final matchup of the break was a straightforward affair versus Emmanuel College. The Firedogs defeated their opponent in straight sets and posted an advantage in every major statistical category. Exiting this slate of games with an impressive 11-1 record, the team shows no signs of slowing down, even as the regular season approaches a close.
Next Up: Oct. 15 @ Tufts, 7:00 p.m.
Men’s Golf:
@ Elms Blazer Fall Invitational: Second of Fourteen Teams
Men’s golf finished second in the Blazer Invitational, posting 305 strokes on Saturday and 301 on Sunday for an overall score of 620. Amherst finished behind Tufts (593) and one spot ahead of Westfield State University (621) in the 14-team field. The Mammoths were led by Steven Chen ’25 (153) and Erik Zetterstrom ’22 (154), who both finished in the top ten individually. Rounding out the field for Amherst were Tommy Whitley ’24 (156), Anthony Zhang ’25 (157) and Teddy Freking ’25 (164). This tournament marked the end of the fall season for men’s golf, and the team will surely anticipate its return to action in the spring.
Next Up: Fall Season Complete
Women’s Golf:
@ NESCAC Fall Qualifier: First of Eight Teams
The Mammoths wrapped up a tournament win this weekend, notching another record-breaking performance in their winning effort at the NESCAC Fall Qualifier. With impressive individual performances across the board, the Mammoths won the two-day by 15 shots, capping off a season where they broke the single round tournament scoring record four times (including in both of this weekend’s rounds) and the two-day tournament scoring record three times. Giheo Seo ’25 notched the tournament’s lowest score with a two-round score of 141 to win by two strokes. Fellow first year Jessica Huang ’25 would tie for second place with a two-round score of 143, and Janelle Jin ’23, Jenny Hua ’24 and Priya Bakshi ’24 rounded out the Mammoths’ scorecard, placing eighth, 10th and 14th overall. With the win, the Mammoths earned the right to host this season’s NESCAC Championship tournament, which will be played this coming spring with a NESCAC title on the line.
Next Up: Fall Season Complete