Some Joy in Mudville: Hockey Spirits High Despite Loss

Over the past few seasons, the women’s hockey team has been one of the most successful squads at Amherst College. Since 2022, the team has a combined record of 70-14-3. Yet, in those years, the team has yet to cross the rainbow bridge of champions. The Mammoths came close to an NCAA championship two years ago but lost to Gustavus Adolphus College in triple overtime. And last year, the team took a step backward, losing to Elmira College in the NCAA quarterfinal.

Despite the pressure, the Mammoths took a wrecking ball to their bracket this year, gliding to the championship game while defeating NESCAC foes Colby and Middlebury by a combined score of 7-2. Like in any great story, though, the hockey gods saved the hardest trial for last: an away match against the reigning NCAA champions, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. “It’s a tall task walking into another team’s barn and defeating the defending champions,” Alyssa Xu ’25 said.

In the championship final, the Falcons broke through with a goal 40 seconds into the second period. NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year Gretchen Dann ’27 watched on with unwavering confidence. “My first thought was, ‘Bring it on.’ It was never going to be an easy game,” she said. “They scored that fast; we can score that fast, too.”

From there, a spell of aggressive defensive stops held the Falcons at bay. Nonetheless, six minutes later, the Falcons managed to score another goal, as a sloppy turnover and deflection led to an open net. “We knew the championship game would be the toughest challenge all year, and it definitely lived up to our expectations,” Xu said.

Despite the deficit, the Mammoths kept fighting. Four minutes later, Ayla Abban ’28 gained possession and flung the puck to Annabel Raffin ’28, who slapped it off the goalie and into the mixer. Amidst the chaos, Bea Flynn ’28 snatched the rebound and scored. “Even though the game didn’t turn out the way we wanted, we still fought until the final buzzer, and I think that is something to be proud of,” she reflected. River Falls managed to get another goal in the second period, giving the Falcons a commanding two-goal lead. As the third period came to a close, the mighty Mammoths yielded, and the Falcons lifted their second consecutive national championship, winning the match 3-1.

“I’m really proud of our whole team,” star goalie Natalie Scott ’26 said. “I think everyone really left it all out there on the ice despite the loss. I just think it was one of those games where the bounces didn’t really go our way, which really sucks.”

Alas, the Mammoths did not win the ultimate prize, this article is not on the front page of the newspaper, and this team will never get a championship parade. Still, almost everyone I interviewed seemed at peace with the loss: “I’m not sure I would change anything about the championship game … There’s a lot of love within our team and for the community that we play for, and although we fell just short, I know the fire has been lit, and next season will be even more exciting,” Xu said. “This season has been more than just winning games,” Flynn added. “It’s been learning little lessons as we go, celebrating the little wins, and picking each other up after the losses.”

I think that’s exactly it. This team is not NCAA champions, but, in a way, they’ve already succeeded. No loss can undo all the vintage Amherst jerseys, stained heather gray hoodies, or faded purple t-shirts worn all over campus last Sunday. It cannot undo their NESCAC championship, Xu’s Rhodes scholarship, her second-team all-NESCAC, Dann’s DPOY, or Scott’s 25 saves. It is a beautiful thing. This team is invariably human. From their thoughtful answers to my annoying questions, to the way they uplift each other on the ice, day in and day out, these women prove they are more than just hockey players. In that sense, this team is enough for me, and it should be for you, too.

Joey Supik ’27 contributed reporting to this article.