In its eighteenth year as a varsity program, women's soccer started as a club sport when Amherst first became co-educational and built itself up from ground zero. Head Coach Michelle Morgan has led the way for the Jeffs ever since it achieved varsity status.
"Amherst was one of the first women's soccer programs to go varsity in New England," Morgan noted. "Supported by a large number of participants, it has been one of the stronger women's programs on campus."
Strong is an understatement. In 1989, soccer was the first women's team to earn a berth in the post-season ECAC tournament, advancing to the semi-finals after they had won one of their seven Little III titles by defeating both Wesleyan and Williams for the crown.
Since then, the team has made three ECAC appearances and has been selected for the NCAA Division III tournament every year since 1994. In 1995, they advanced to the Elite Eight, to fall in penalty kicks after 60 minutes of overtime. They finished the season with a 14-1-1 record and ranked fifth in the nation.
This year, the team surpassed old achievements and advanced past the regionals and into the championship weekend, a feat never before accomplished by any Amherst team. To top it off, Amherst was selected by the NCAA to host the 1996 National Championship.
The road to the Final Four, however, was not as smooth as one might imagine. Tying Trinity in their season opener, the Jeffs lost to a mediocre Middlebury team, followed by a disappointing tie with Williams. With a late season tie with Tufts, the Jeffs finished the regular season 10-1-3, a record less impressive than the 13-1 regular season record of a year ago.
"We analyzed what we did wrong in those games," explained Co-Captain Kate Staaf '97, "and found where we had to improve to keep winning."
Whatever mistakes they had made during the regular season were erased during post-season play. Playing at Williams, the Jeffs faced in the round of sixteen Richard Stockton, the team that had ousted them from the 1995 tournament. This year, the Jeffs defeated the Ospreys before blanking NESCAC rival Bates 1-0 in the Regional Finals. Claiming the New England title, Amherst earned their first ever trip to the Final Four.
"All season long," commented Morgan, "we just kept getting better and better, really peaking at Regionals."
Staaf added, "Everything really came together during the Richard Stockton and Bates games. We played our best soccer of the season that weekend."
Hosting the Championship weekend, the Jeffs had to face some tough competition. In the Final Four, they faced the University of California at San Diego, the defending national champion. Amherst scored first, but UCSD netted an equalizer two-and-a-half minutes later. A second goal thirteen minutes into the second half put the Tritons on top, but the Jeffs fought hard to the end. However, the goalmouth refused the remaining Amherst shots to deny the Jeffs a chance to play for the national title. Women's soccer finished the season ranked No. 3 in the nation.
"Going to the Final Four was the next step that we wanted to take," remarked goalie Sarah Fabian '98. "It really proved to us that we deserved everything we had accomplished in the past few years. It also showed us what we have to do next year to be a contender, as well as what we need, which is speed and strength."
While the women's soccer team has tasted success often, the field hockey team is fairly new to it. In 1993, the team received its first-ever ECAC bid, making it all the way to the finals before falling to Middlebury. After a dismal 1994 season, the Jeffs came back strong in 1995 to finish 9-6-1, losing in the ECAC semifinals to eventual champion Bowdoin.
The 1996 season looked to be a rebuilding year after losing four seniors and a number of underclassmen from the 1995 team. To everyone's surprise and delight, the Jeffs started out the season with a six-game win-streak before losing to undefeated Middlebury. Winning all but one of their remaining seven games, they finished the regular season with a 12-2 record.
Led by goalie Jess Rich '99, the Jeffs' defense topped the NESCAC, allowing only six regular season goals and posting ten shutouts. With two 1-0 victories over Little Three rivals Williams and Wesleyan, the Jeffs captured the Little Three crown for the first time in 13 years. Amherst also gained the first field hockey victory in the program's history over Trinity with a 1-0 overtime win. This win claimed the top spot in the Northeast from the Bantams, who had been fifth in the nation before their third loss. Amherst stayed No. 1 in field hockey polls for the rest of the season.
"There was a changed mind set this year," commented Head Coach Chris Paradis. "We went into games saying, 'We're expected to win.' It gave us a great mental edge that ran deep because it came from preparation and having confidence in ourselves."
In the NCAA tournament, the Jeffs traveled to The College of New Jersey to take on New York's William Smith, a team that has qualified for the NCAA Division III field hockey tournament every year for the last ten years. Playing on artificial turf, the Jeffs took an early 1-0 lead, only to have their goal answered quickly by the Herons. William Smith scored again in the half, taking a 2-1 lead into halftime. The Jeffs gained momentum quickly in the second half, evening the score at 2-2, but then William Smith's experience took over as they scored two more goals to take a 4-2 lead. But the Jeffs relied upon their 'never say die' attitude and scored with six minutes left to play. Although Amherst continued to pressure the William Smith defense, it could not be cracked again and William Smith went on to win the game by a final score of 4-3.
"It was really special to go to NCAAs, especially for the seniors" commented Co-Captain Kathryn Gwatkin '97. "As freshmen, we were part of the first Amherst field hockey team to go to the ECAC tournament. This year, we were part of the first team to go to the NCAA tournament. It was an incredible feeling to go such a long way."
"We achieved every goal we set out at the beginning of the season," added Sarah Bradley '97, who started at center halfback this year after missing her junior season with a knee injury. "We acquired the knowledge about what it takes to win and saw what it takes to put it into action."
What does the future hold for both of these teams? The words of a prospective field hockey player might best foretell what is yet to come. While sitting in Paradis's office a few weeks ago, the prospective student-athlete sat and talked about which schools she was considering.
"I'm looking mainly at Division I schools," she said, "but also at NESCAC schools with top field hockey teams, like Trinity, Middlebury, Williams and Amherst."
Amherst? A top field hockey team? One wouldn't have thought so until a few years ago. In fact, one wouldn't have said that about many of the Amherst women's athletic teams. But that is beginning to change. Women's sports at Amherst have risen from mediocrity, past respectability and into excellence.
"A powerhouse is something one has to build," remarked Paradis. "Once a program establishes itself at the top, it will bring in better athletes."
She continues, "As the field hockey team maintains its numbers and leadership in the program, it will continue to succeed. Other NESCAC teams are already beginning to see Amherst field hockey as a force to reckon with. We have the potential to be a Final Four team, but it will take lots of hard work."
The women's soccer team knows what that hard work is all about. "To be contenders for the national title, we have to work hard in the off-season, as we have been doing," observed Ellie Hickerson '98. "Hopefully next year, we'll go all the way."
"The future is very promising," Morgan added. "We have a great group of underclassmen. With work in the off-season on some specifics, we'll have the ability to go far."
One thing is certain, however: the 1996 women's soccer and field hockey teams have left their marks, while setting precedents of success for future teams to follow. But this success has not been reached overnight. It has taken twenty years of hard work and dedication to make women's athletic teams at Amherst what they are today.
"The development of women's sports at Amherst over the past twenty years has been amazing," reflected Gwatkin. "What the teams have achieved during my four years here alone has been extraordinary."
"What we've accomplished is an incredible reflection of women's athletics," commented Staaf. "I'm very proud to be part of the first team to go to the Final Four."
Maybe the first, but it definitely not the last. Women's athletics at Amherst are here to stay.