Football Jumps to Best Start in a Decade
Issue 4 for athletic events from October 6 - October 12, 1996
Football Jumps to Best Start in a DecadeQuarterback Rich Willard '98 (Johnstown, NY) again led the way with his 70.8% completion rate for 238 yards. In just four games, Willard has already surpassed his 1995 season total of 812 yards.
Aiming for five different receivers against the Mules, Willard connected on three touchdown passes. A 16-yarder to Chris Miller '97 (Peabody, MA) put Amherst on the scoreboard on their second drive, while a 7-yard catch by tight end Matt Murray '97 (Westwood, MA) gave the Jeffs a 14-0 halftime lead. This is Murray's third touchdown in two games.
Bob DiSabato '99 (Westwood, MA) added a touchdown by the running backs with a 1-yard carry over the goal line. Tri-Captain Josh Mason '97 (Greenfield, MA) had 10 carries for 34 yards before leaving the game with a still-tender ankle. Taking over at tailback, Josh Carroll '98 (Winchester, MA) had an impressive performance, gaining 85 yards on 15 carries.
Complementing the offense was the always-solid Amherst defense. Allowing an average of 162 yards per game, the defense broke up ten of P.J. Matson's 36 pass attempts and registered two sacks. Seth Zimmerman '98 (Lewistown, PA), the team's leading tackler, registered 11 hits of his own, including 6 solo tackles, three pass break ups and a 6-yard sack. Noseguard David Cippoletti '98 (Seaford, NY) spoiled a Colby pass in the red zone with an interception to set up DiSabato's fourth touchdown of the season.
On the following Colby possession, the Mules incurred a penalty to give them first and 18 from the Colby 10. Free safety Todd Nichols '99 (Skaneateles, NY) nabbed a long pass at the 39 and headed for the endzone. Dodging Mule offensive linemen, Nichols wound his way to a 27-0 Amherst lead. A 62-yard completion by Willard to Colin Barnacle '98 (Denver, CO) rounded out the scoring and gave the Jeffs their first 4-0 start under Head Coach Jack Siedlecki.
Amherst heads to Wesleyan next weekend to open up Little III competition. As the league leaders in points scored, the Cardinal Homecoming game looks to be an offensive showdown. "The Little III is a season within a season," noted Siedlecki. "Wesleyan has tremendous focus every year. At 3-1, they're excited, since we're two of the top teams in the league."
Saturday, October 12, 1996 at Pratt Field, Amherst, MA Amherst (4-0) 7 7 13 7 -- 34 Colby (0-4) 0 0 0 0 -- 0First Quarter 10:20 A Chris Miller 16-yard pass from Rich Willard (David Bobruff kick) Second Quarter 14:55 A Matt Murray 7-yard pass from Willard (Bobruff kick) Third Quarter 6:04 A Bob DiSabato 1-yard run 5:40 A Todd Nichols 39-yard interception return (Bobruff kick) Fourth Quarter 11:47 A Colin Barnacle 63-yard pass from Willard (Bobruff kick) Attendance: 1,000
Colby Amherst First Downs 13 20 Rushes-yards 207-42 42-172 Passing yards 127 238 Return yards 89 46 Comp-Att-Int 14-36-3 17-24-1 Punts 3-83 1-41 Fumbles lost 4-2 1-1 Penalties-yards 5-43 10-69
Individual Statistics Rushing: C Lawaun Curry 10-28, Chris Sheehan 6-15, Don Gage 6-5, Nathan Bradley 1-5, Thomas Keblin 2- -3, P.J. Matson 2- -8. A Josh Carroll 15-84, Josh Mason 10-34, Bob DiSabato 10-25, Nik Bjorkedal 6-22, Rich Willard 1-7. Passing: C P.J. Matson 14-32-3 127-yards, Nathan Bradley 0-4-0 0-yards. A Rich Willard 17-24-1 238-yards. Receiving: C Chris Sheehan 4-53, Jerrod DeShaw 4-26, Tony Callander 3-37, Don Gage 2-8, Tom Killilea 1-3. A Matt Murray 7-84, Chris Miller 4-38, Todd Haggerty 3-41, Colin Barnacle 2-71, Mike Brendler 1-4.
Game Notes: Amherst (4-0) at Wesleyan (3-1)
October 19, 1996 at Andrus Field, Middletown, Connecticut
However, a trip to Minnesota did not prove so fortunate for the Jeffs, as they dropped their first of two games to Macalester College. Ben Haley '99 (Milford, CT) carried a ball upfield to put the Jeffs up 1-0 in the first half before two Macalester goals. With five minutes left to regulation, the Scots pushed the game into overtime when they redirected an Amherst header to equalize at 2-2. In overtime, however, Macalester scored two goals en route to a 4-2 win.
Goalkeeping* GP/GS Shots Vs. Saves Save % GA GAA SOs
G Kevin Larner 6/6 79 42 85.7% 7 1.17 3
Opponent Totals 6 98 59 85.5% 10 1.67 0
*does not include Macalester game
Current Record: 3-3-1
They fired off 28 shots against each other, but each team could net only one goal a piece. Mindy Thompson took a shot from the top of the box to put Williams up 1-0, but Shaunette Richards '98 (Mays Landing, NJ) teamed up with Katie Hersey '99 (Westford, MA) before the halftime buzzer for the equalizer. Both goals would stand through regulation and into overtime for the second tie of the season for both teams. In nine games, keeper Sarah Fabian '98 (Dalton, MA) has allowed only three goals for a league-leading 93.9% save percentage and only 0.33 goals allowed per game.
The Jeffs had prepared for the Williams matchup with a 5-0 pounding of Clark. An own-goal by the Cougars sparked the Amherst offense as they netted three goals in eight minutes. Katie Connelly '00 (East Granby, CT) scored her fifth goal of her rookie season against Clark.
Goalkeeping GP/GS Saves Save % GA GAA SOs
G Sarah Fabian 9/9 46 93.9% 3 0.33 6
G Carolina Patino 2/0 0 Q.- % 0 0.00 0
Amherst Totals 9 46 93.9% 3 0.33 6
Opponent Totals 9 89 80.9% 21 2.33 2
Current Record: 6-1-2
Goalie Jess Rich '99 (Stillwater, NY) was greeted by ten hard-hit Eph shots for her return from a bad ankle sprain on Tuesday. While Williams dominated on offense, Amherst snuck into the Williams end, where Tyra Gettleman '00 (Orono, ME) redirected a Marnie Huffman-Green '99 (Chevy Chase, MD) shot into the box.
Earlier in the week, the Jeffs had prevailed over Pioneer Valley foe Smith 1-0 amidst a muddy Thursday storm. Drilling 16 shots and eight penalty corners at the Pioneers, Amherst controlled the offense. Gettleman fed Sandy Accordino '99 (Closter, NJ) for her fifth goal of the season. The Jeffs held Smith to only one shot in the second half, and Amherst forced the Pioneers to make four defensive saves.
Goalkeeping GP/GS Saves Save % PC GA GAA SOs
99 Jessica Rich T99 8/8 52 91.2% 54 5 0.63 5
34 Courtney Munch T97 1/1 0 Q.- % 0 0 0.00 1
Amherst Totals 9 52 91.2% 54 5 0.56 6
Opponent Totals 9 64 83.1% 82 13 1.44 1
Current Record: 8-1
Another win was just what the Jeffs needed to get back on track after two weekend losses to Bowdoin and Middlebury. Matt Diggs '99 (Seattle, WA) scored two goals and assisted a third in a 3-0 blanking of Trinity midweek. Rookie Gary Kegal '00 (Woodway, WA) combined with Brian Angelini '00E (Granada Hills, CA) to control the midfield as the Jeff playmakers.
Men's Soccer Splits 1-1 for Week
No. Player GS* Goals Assists Points
2 Benjamin Haley '99 2 1 1 1
4 Timothy Christian '98 6 1 0 2
5 Devin Talbott '98 1 1 0 2
6 Christopher Murphy '97 6 2 0 4
7 Stephen Carr '97 5 1 0 2
9 Rejji Hayes '97 6 2 0 4
11 Mario Watts '97 5 1 1 3
12 Matthew Diggs '99 5 2 1 5
19 Kent Berg '99 0 0 1 1
21 Andrew Kay '00 3 0 1 1
Amherst Totals 6 12 5 29
Opponent Totals 6 11 5* 27
It's the biggest game of the season, regardless of their New England rankings. Amherst and Williams, archrivals on every field. While U.S. News and World Report can decide one thing about the schools and the NCAA another, the only way to judge the better women's soccer team is in a head-to-head showdown.
Women's Soccer Pounds Clark, Ties Williams
No. Player GP/GS Shots Goals Assists Points
4 Genevieve Furst '00 7/1 5 0 1 1
5 Kathleen Missett '99 9/9 11 0 1 1
6 Lesley Greene '00 9/3 10 0 1 1
8 Katherine Connelly '00 9/0 11 5 0 10
9 Shaunette Richards '98 9/9 19 3 2 8
10 Jennifer Havlik '00 6/2 2 1 0 2
12 Janinne Noel '99 9/9 6 2 0 4
14 Eleanor Hickerson '98 9/9 6 0 1 1
15 Kathryn Hersey '99 9/9 24 4 3 11
16 Arianne Sperry '00 4/0 6 1 0 2
18 Erika Johnson '98 8/6 7 1 1 3
19 Kerry Weeks '98 4/0 2 2 0 4
27 Laura Kochansky '98 8/8 9 1 1 3
Amherst Totals 9 137 21 11 53
Opponent Totals 9 62 3 0 6
Williams had beaten Middlebury, who had handed Amherst their only loss last week. On paper, the Jeffs weren't supposed to win this weekend but, after a tough battle between two 7-1 teams, Amherst emerged with their 8th "W" of the season.
Field Hockey Takes First Piece of Little III Title
No. Player GP/GS Shots (in/out) Goals Assists Points
4 Irene Permut '99 9/9 13/14 1 2 4
11 Alie Stechenberg '00 9/5 13/3 3 0 6
12 Sandra Accordino '99 9/9 16/3 5 1 11
14 Tyra Gettleman '00 9/9 31/4 2 2 6
21 Rebecca Levin '99 9/8 12/1 0 1 1
22 Marnie Huffman-Green '99 9/9 33/11 2 3 7
Amherst Totals 9 128/45 13 9 35
Opponent Totals 9 45/24 5 2 12