Issue 1 for sports through September 21
Football Kicks off Season with Win over Hamilton
The Jeffs weren't sure what to expect when kickoff time rolled around. They were facing Hamilton, a squad Amherst hasn't played in three years, but one which fielded 18 returning starters including two pre-season All-Americans. While the Jeffs also boasted two pre-season All-Americans, career rushing leader Josh Mason '97 (Greenfield, MA) was hampered by another leg injury and would not play his senior season opener. Joining fellow Tri-Captain John Walsh '97 (Wellesley, MA) on the sideline, Mason and a slew of injured, but suited up, players watched anxiously as the whistle sounded.
But all the questions that had baffled the team and the press were quickly answered on Amherst's opening drive. Earning five first-downs, the Jeffs gained 87 yards for their first touchdown on a six-yard pass by quarterback Rich Willard '98 (Johnstown, NY) to Chris Miller '97 (Peabody, MA). A 19-yard field goal with one second left in the second quarter by kicker David Bobruff '97 (West Newton, MA) put the Jeffs up 10-0 at the half.
Willard was the man of the day, exhibiting his immense improvement over his first season as a starter in 1995. Under solid protection by his offensive line, Willard threw for 207 yards with a 70% completion rate to his four wide receivers, Miller, Mike Brendler '97 (Swarthmore, PA), Shaun Quigley '98 (Chicopee, MA) and Todd Haggerty '98 (Albany, NY). He added a rushing touchdown of his own on a quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter. Hamilton's QB Dan DeBlois had just scrambled into the endzone to put the Continentals on the board, and Amherst retaliated with the Willard run.
But the passing game wasn't the only weapon the Jeffs used against Hamilton. Known to be a rushing team, Darin Byrne '99 (Winchester, MA) netted 124 yards on 32 carries in his first career start. And the Jeffs would not have pulled out a victory without the savvy play of an veteran defense. Outside linebacker Ray Byrnes '97 (Yonkers, NY) broke up two passes, including a thud that resounded throughout the stadium as he caught a DeBlois pass on the rise. Holding Hamilton to just 195 net yards, the Jeff defense used their speed and experience to break up six passes and intercept another three. Alex Tracy '99 (North Easton, MA), Peter McConville '99 (Buffalo Grove, IL) and Tim Kisling '97 (North Salem, NY) combined for nine yards on interception returns.
This weekend, the Jeffs travel to Maine for a meeting with Bowdoin. Last year, Amherst edged out the Polar Bears on a late-game touchdown for a 27-20 win. In that game, Jamie Deluca '99 (Rochester, NY) blocked two consecutive Bowdoin punts to set up the winning touchdown.
Head Coach Jack Siedlecki notes that the key to the Bowdoin game is to maintain the high level of emotion from the Hamilton game: "I had been stressing how important the Hamilton game was to the season, and maybe some of the guys will need to take a step back and take a breather. But football is so emotional a game that if youıre not ready to play with lots of emotion, it's going to be a long day."
While the status of injured Jeffs, including Mason and Walsh, is still up in the air, Amherst enters the Bowdoin game confident, but not cocky. With talented and deep squad, the Jeffs are looking for their second win of 1996 against the Polar Bears.
Saturday, September 21, 1996 at Pratt Field, Amherst, Massachusetts Hamilton (0-1) 0 0 0 6 -- 6 Amherst (1-0) 7 3 0 7 -- 17 First Quarter 9:21 A Chris Miller 6-yard pass from Rich Willard (David Bobruff kick) Second Quarter 0:01 A David Bobruff 19-yard field goal Third Quarter No scoring by either team Fourth Quarter 9:07 H Dan DeBlois 4-yard run (Adam Kelly kick blocked) 4:38 A Rich Willard 1-yard run (David Bobruff kick) Attendance: 2, 447 Hamilton Amherst First Downs: 15 23 Rushes-yards 28-57 51-184 Passing yards 133 207 Comp/Att 18/30 14/20 Sacked-Yards lost 1-4 0-0 Punts-yards 6-189 5-147 Fumbles-yards 0-0 0-0 Penalties-yards 3-25 8-65 Time of Possession 26:37 33:23 Individual Statistics Rushing: H Scott Milleisen 19-37, Adam Hodges 5-9, Dan DeBlois 2-7, Ben McClellan 2-4. A Darin Byrne 32-124, Bob DiSabato 11-59, Rich Willard 7-7, Chris Miller 1- -6 Passing: H Dan DeBlois 30-18-2 133 yards, A Rich Willard 20-14-1 207 yards Receiving: H Adam Hodges 7-58, Scott Milleisen 4-16, Shawn Lyons 3-30, Ben Johnson 3- 25, Paul Bopp 1-9 A Mike Brendler 4-54, Chris Miller 4-33, Shaun Quigley 3-59, Todd Haggerty 2-47, Matt Murray 1-14 Next Game: Sat 9/28 @Bowdoin
Men's Soccer Squeaks by to 2-0-1 Record
The men's soccer team definitely likes their sport because they play a lot of it. Last year, the Jeffs took five of 16 games into overtime, including three of their first four games. They continued the trend with two overtime games in their opening matches this season, registering a 1-0-1 record before disposing of Connecticut College in regulation time.
Against UMass/Dartmouth, the Jeffs dominated the offense, but were unable to connect with the net until 11 minutes into the first overtime period when Chris Murphy '97 (St. Paul, MN) rocketed a shot past goalie Mike Ring. Devin Talbott '98 (Washington, DC) followed up with another goal with an assist from rookie Andrew Kay '00 (North Easton, MA).
Likewise, much of the next game was played in the Brandeis half of the field, but somehow the Judges mustered equalizers within minutes of each Amherst goal. Tim Christian '98 (Agawam, MA) posted the first goal, only to be followed by an opposing goal by John Moran. In the second overtime period, All-American Mario Watts '97 (St. Catherine, Jamaica) netted his first goal of the season, only to have Rich Grodin even up the score again at 2-2, where it would stand at the final buzzer.
Early in the first half against Conn College, Matt Diggs '99 (Seattle, WA) bicycled a shot into the cross-bar and a waiting Murphy, who scored the only goal of the game. However, the second half was a different story, where Conn fired 14 of its 23 shots at goalie Kevin Larner '99 (Short Hills, NJ) and the Amherst defense. But the Jeffs stood strong, allowing nothing in the net.
For his performance directing the defense in both the Brandeis and Conn College games, Tim Christian '98 was named the NESCAC Player of the Week.
No. Player Goals Assists Points 4 Tim Christian '98 1 - 2 5 Devin Talbott '98 1 - 2 6 Chris Murphy '97 2 - 4 11 Mario Watts '97 1 - 2 21 Andrew Kay '00 - 1 1 Amherst Totals 5 1 11 Opponent Totals 2 1 5 Goalkeeping Shots Vs. Saves Save % Goals Vs. GAA Shutouts Kevin Larner '99 42 23 92.0% 2 0.67 2 Amherst Totals 42 23 92.0% 2 0.67 2 Opponent Totals 57 33 86.8% 5 1.66 0 Current Record: 2-0-1 This Week's Games: Sat 9/28 @Bowdoin
Women's Soccer Continues Tradition of Excellence
It took them a while to get started, but once Lady Jeff soccer started netting goals, no one has been able to stop them.
Their season opener at Trinity was a frustrating 0-0 overtime tie in which Amherst blasted 31 shots on goal. Keeper Sarah Fabian '98 (Dover, MA) posted 9 saves in 120 minutes as just the start to her so-far perfect record.
It looked much the same against Smith until late in the second half. Shaunette Richards '98 (Mays Landing, NJ) lobbed a ball in to Laura Kochansky '98 (Newton, MA) for a header and the first goal of the season. Katie Hersey '99 (Westford, MA), the team's leading returning scorer, finished off the match with a goal off a corner kick.
But Hersey maintained that momentum into the Conn College game. Leading off with an assist and a solo goal, she lead the Jeffs to a 5-0 humbling of the Camels. Also contributing were goals by Janinne Noel '99 (Dalton, MA), Richards and rookies Katie Connolly (East Granby, CT) and Arianne Sperry (Portland, OR).
No. Player Goals Assists Points 4 Genivieve Furst '00 - 1 1 8 Katie Connolly '00 1 - 2 9 Shaunette Richards '98 1 1 3 12 Janinne Noel '99 1 - 2 14 Ellie Hickerson '98 - 1 1 15 Katie Hersey '99 2 1 5 16 Arianne Sperry '00 1 - 2 27 Laura Kochansky '98 1 - 2 Amherst Totals 7 4 18 Opponents Totals 0 0 0 Goalkeeping Shots Vs. Saves Save % Goals Vs. GAA Shutouts Sarah Fabian '98 26 22 100% 0 0 3 Amherst Totals 26 22 100% 0 0 3 Opponent Totals 55 35 83.3% 7 2.33 1 Current Record: 2-0-1 This Week's Games: Thu 9/26 @Colby-Sawyer Sat 9/28 @Bowdoin
Field Hockey Cruises to 3-0
They may be a young team, but Amherst field hockey doesnıt look that way on the field. Taking 86 shots (60 inside the circle) in just three games, the defense has held opponents to a mere 16 shots (12 in the circle), while generating 5 goals by this sophomore-freshman dominated team.
There was no question about how good this team was against Mount Holyoke in Amherst's season opener. The Jeffs took 39 shots compared to the Lyons' 2, while feeding Sandy Accordino '99 (Closter, NJ) and Irene Permut '99 (Wilmington, DE) for two goals on the day.
Accordino kept going through the next two games, scoring a goal in each contest. She leads the team with three goals on the young season. She got some help from rookies Tyra Gettleman (Orono, ME) and Alie Stechenberg (Longmeadow, MA) against WPI who had an assist and goal respectively.
So far, the squad has already developed a strong sense of team-play, providing defensive support when needed, and pushing up into the opponent's half to maintain offensive pressure.
No. Player Shots (in/out) Goals Assists Points 4 Irene Permut '99 4/3 1 1 3 11 Alie Stechenberg '00 7/1 1 - 2 12 Sandra Accordino '99 9/3 3 6 14 Tyra Gettleman '00 15/3 - 1 1 22 Marnie Huffman-Green '99 16/5 - 1 1 Amherst Totals 60/26 5 3 13 Opponent Totals 12/4 0 0 0 Goalkeeping Saves Save % PC GA GAA Shutouts 99 Jessica Rich '99 14 100% 18 0 0.00 3 Amherst Totals 14 100% 18 0 0.00 3 Opponent Totals 49 91% 33 5 1.67 0 Current Record: 3-0 This Week's Games: Wed 9/25 @Wheaton Sat 9/28 @Bowdoin