The Roundup: All the Stuff You Missed In Sports This Week

Volleyball: The Firedogs ran over Middlebury in straight sets on Friday night. Although Middlebury was undefeated in the NESCAC and up early in the first set, Amherst battled back to sweep the Panthers handily. Sophie Launsbach ’22 led the team with three service aces and 14 kills, a game-high record for her. On Saturday, Amherst hosted the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The Trailblazers stole the first set, but Amherst responded by taking the next three sets, each with margins of victory 15 points or greater. Skyleur Savage ’22 had 22 digs in the win. Amherst will take on UMass Boston at home on Friday Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.

Men’s Tennis: The Mammoths battled this weekend in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Tournament hosted at MIT, the most important tournament of the team’s fall season. Marek Michulka ’23 and Damien Ruparel ’22 fell in the quarterfinals of the doubles bracket. The duo beat a pair from Middlebury on Friday, but then fell to a pairing from Williams on Saturday morning. A similar fate befell Sean Wei ’21 and Harris Foulkes ’22. The twosome won on Friday afternoon, but bowed out after a loss to another Ephs duo. The team will next compete in the Wesleyan Invitational, held on Oct. 19 and 20.

Women’s Tennis: Also taking on the DIII opposition at the ITA Regionals, the Mammoths had three semifinalists this weekend. In the singles bracket, Camille Smukler ’20 exited the tournament in a loss to the eventual Wesleyan champion, while sophomore duo Maggie Owensby and Anya Ramras fought valiantly in the semifinal match against more Wesleyan players, last spring’s NESCAC and DIII national champions. The Mammoths return to action this weekend when they take on the Ephs in a rivalry dual meet.

Men’s Cross Country: Spencer Ferguson-Dryden ’20 paced the Mammoths at the Purple Valley Classic on Saturday, finishing in 16th place. His effort, along with the spectacular running of his teammates, including Braxton Schuldt ’21 who finished 33 out of 228 racers, allowed the Mammoths to finish fifth out of 19 teams, just behind four nationally-ranked squads. Amherst returns to action next weekend at the Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University, a truly enormous event featuring teams from across the country.

Women’s Cross Country Sarah Gayer ’21, Olivia Polischeck ’21 and Sophia Wolmer ’23 all finished within the top 50 harriers at the Purple Valley Invitational. Their efforts helped land the Mammoths in sixth place out of 14 teams competing total. They also will be competing at the Paul Short Invitational next weekend.

Women’s Soccer Amherst faced down rival Williams this weekend after making the journey to Cole Field. Williams became the second side to score on the Mammoths this sesson, when an Ephs midfielder finished off a diagonal long ball. Amherst struck back, however, when sophomore Sophia Fikke netted a goal to tie the scoreline. Fikke snuck a bouncing ball into the back corner with a left-footed touch that demonstrated both a little technique and a little luck.

Amherst, however, had their hopes of a tie dashed when, around the 70th minute, Williams scored again, making the score 2-1. Keeper Antonia Tammaro ’21 made five saves in the loss, and the Mammoths move to 2-2 in conference play. Amherst returns to action on Saturday against Wesleyan.