Football Survives Middlebury for 3-0
Football Survives Middlebury for 3-0Powering the Jeffs was the NESCAC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week, Todd Nichols (Skaneateles, NY), the free safety who picked three Panther passes, broke up another, recovered a fumble and registered five tackles (three solo). This is the second three-interception game in the junior's collegiate career as he tallies eight over 19 games. Teammate Darin Byrne (Winchester, MA) also earned league recognition on the ECAC Honor Roll after pounding out 129 of 189 Jeff rushing yards on 29 carries. Byrne claims credit for Amherst's first touchdown of the day on a 32-yard catch in the endzone, just six minutes before a sneak over the goal line for a 15-0 lead late in the second quarter.
The game looked to be a messy one as Middlebury committed its first penalty on the opening kickoff. Four plays later, Amherst followed suit as the Panthers prepared for a second punt attempt. However, a snap at the Middlebury 15 that floated out of the endzone handed the Jeffs their first points on an automatic safety.
The teams traded turnovers on a Rich Willard (Johnstown, NY) interception and a fumble recovery by Nichols before the teams broke out of the Middlebury 30 and settled down midway through the first quarter. With 6:35 to play in the first stanza, Jake Conca (Attleboro, MA) recovered the Panthers' second fumble before senior Colin Barnacle (Denver, CO) faked a punt and carried 12 yards down the left sideline for a first down. The Jeffs scored on their next possession at the beginning of the second quarter on a 79-yard drive that consumed just over three minutes.
Amherst's next series made another run to goal, thwarted at midfield where Barnacle sent a 40-yard punt to the 2-yard line. Pushed back to the 1, the Panthers threw their first interception to Nichols at the Middlebury 18 as the Political Science major carried another five yards closer to goal. Byrne waltzed into the endzone for his second TD of his junior season. The Panthers responded with a 73-yard, five-minute drive of their own that put a 23-yard field goal on the board before the halfime whistle.
Middlebury continued to demonstate its offensive prowess throughout the second half. The Panthers claimed 1st and Goal early in the third, whereupon the Jeff defense cracked down. Losing a yard on a rush attempt, Middlebury experienced its second of six Lord Jeff sacks, an 11-yard loss courtesy of Alex Niefer (Williamsville, NY). Coupled with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Panthers were pushed back to the Amherst 31, where Nichols produced his second pick at the 20 to end the Middlebury threat. The junior would register his third interception just five minutes later at the Middlebury 45.
Shaun Quigley (Chicopee, MA) scored what would be the game-winning touchdown early in the fourth on a 47-yard toss from Willard for a 22-3 lead. But once again, the Panthers responded with scores on their next two possessions to cut the lead to five with 3:42 to play.
In the Panthers' quest for 3-0, Middlebury cracked down defensively, allowing Amherst no gain on the Jeffs' next possession as the Panthers regained control with 2:27 on the clock. Senior Co-Captain Seth Zimmerman (Lewistown, PA) leveled his second sack of the day to hold back the Panthers, who had ignited their passing game. But, as they had a year ago in Vermont, Amherst halted a Panther drive with an interception, this year courtesy of lineman Dave Cippoletti (Seaford, NY) at the Amherst 32. Running out the clock, Amherst finished the match with a bang as Niefer took one last hit and sacked the Middlebury quarterback for 16 yards on the final play of the game.
Saturday, October 4, 1997 at Pratt Field, Amherst, Massachusetts
Middlebury (2-1) 0 3 0 14 -- 17 Amherst (3-0) 2 13 0 7 -- 22 First Quarter 13:28 A Automatic Safety. Second Quarter 13:36 A Darin Byrne 32 pass from Rich Willard (Liam Fleming kick blocked). 7:15 A Byrne 1 run (Fleming kick good). 2:16 M Scott Dudley 23 field goal. Fourth Quarter 11:37 A Shaun Quigley 37 pass from Willard (Fleming kick good). 9:26 M A.J. Husband 35 pass from Brian Coates (Dudley kick good). 3:42 M Coates 1 run (Dudley kick good). Attendance: 1,530. Middlebury Amherst First Downs 11 14 Rushes-Yards 28-69 49-152 Passing Yards 244 220 Return Yards 84 80 Passes 39-23-4 30-10-2 Punts 6-222 9-312 Fumbles-Lost 2-2 2-1 Penalties-Yards 7-65 8-54Rushing: A Darin Byrne 29-129, Bob DiSabato 12-31, Colin Barnacle 1-12, Josh Carroll 4-5, Rich Willard 3-(-25). M Brian Holmes 10-27, Bryan Sanchez 6-20, Adam Pascal 1-0, Brian Coates 11-(-36).
Matt Diggs (Seattle, WA) lofted a Mike Sullivan (Andover, MA) cross into the Middlebury net five minutes into the match for what would be the game-winning goal. The Jeffs held off 10 Panther shots as keeper Kevin Larner (Short Hills, NJ) made nine saves for his third shutout of the season. This is the first time since 1993 that Amherst has defeated Middlebury in regular season action.
Last week Amherst men's soccer made its best showing ever with a No. 7 ranking in the country and No. 1 in New England. This week, the Jeffs topped themselves by moving up two places into the national top-5 and still undefeated six games into the season.
Men's Soccer Among Top-5 in Nation
No. Name G A P
11 Andrew Kay '00 6 1 13
7 Matthew Diggs '99 3 1 7
4 Timothy Christian '98 3 0 6
9 Devin Talbott '98 1 1 3
3 Nate McDonald '98 1 0 2
5 Brian Angelini '00E 0 2 2
10 Gary Kegal '00 0 1 1
12 Mike Grant '99 0 1 1
18 Mike Sullivan '98 0 1 1
Amherst Totals 13 9 35
Opponent Totals 5 4 14
Goalkeeping W L T Min Svs GA Sv% GAA ShO
Kevin Larner '99 5 0 1 570 37 5 .881 0.79 3
Opponent Totals 0 5 1 570 34 13 .723 2.05 0
Current Record: 5-0-1
Last Week: Middlebury, W 1-0
This Week: Wed Oct 8 Trinity, 4:00pm
Sun Oct 12 at Springfield, 1:00pm
Posting their sixth straight victory of the season, Amherst moves up as the second-best team in the Metro Region and lucky 13th in the nation with a 7-1 record. Keeper Sarah Fabian (Dover, MA) earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors for two show-stopping performances. After shutting out Mount Holyoke 3-0 last Monday, the Jeffs held on to avenge last year's loss to Middlebury with a 1-0 win in extra periods against the Panthers. The Tri-Captain posted 14 saves in regulation before Katie Hersey (Westford, MA) tallied the game-winner five minutes into the first overtime off an Ellie Hickerson (Davenport, IA) throw-in. Both Hersey and Fabian rank a close second in NESCAC standings for leading scorers and goalies.
Women's Soccer Registers Another Shutout
No. Name G A P
15 Kathryn Hersey '99 6 2 14
8/1 Katie Connelly '00 2 3 7
9 Shaunette Richards '98 3 0 6
14 Ellie Hickerson '98 0 5 5
27 Laura Kochansky '98 2 0 4
3 Meg Riley '01 1 0 2
11 Alexa Faigen '01 1 0 2
24 Beth Leonard '98 1 0 2
19 Kerry Weeks '98 0 2 2
18 Erika Johnson '98 0 1 1
22 Lauren Eichler '01 0 1 1
Opponent Own Goals 1 0 2
Amherst Totals 17 13 47
Opponent Totals 4 4 12
Goalkeeping W L T Min Svs GA Sv%* GAA ShO
Sarah Fabian '98 7 1 0 780 62 4 .939 0.46 4
Opponent Totals 1 7 0 780 100 17 .855 1.96 1
Current Record: 7-1
Last Week: Middlebury, W 1-0 OT
This Week: Thu Oct 9 North Adams, 4:00pm
Sun Oct 12 at Williams, 12:00
For the second straight year, Middlebury snapped an extensive early-season win streak for Amherst field hockey, this year stopping at the program's best-ever seven win start. Junior Tri-Captain Irene Permut (Wilmington, DE) gave the Jeffs an early lead with her first goal of the season 24 minutes into the match, but the Panthers equalized less than a minute before the halftime buzzer. Middlebury notched the game-winner halfway through the second period to push Amherst to a 7-1 record and mysterious No. 5 ranking in the New England West region. After allowing only four goals in eight games, keeper Jes Rich (Stillwater, NY) reclaims her spot as the top goalie in the NESCAC with a 0.48 goals allowed average.
Panthers Pounce on Field Hockey
No. Name G A P
2 Tyra Gettleman '00 8 1 17
12 Sandy Accordino '99 5 2 12
3 Gretchen Bowe '01 4 1 9
11 Alie Stechenberg '00 3 0 6
24 Heather Kestner '98 2 2 6
4 Irene Permut '99 1 3 5
22 Marnie Huffman-Green '99 1 2 4
20 Kristen Osborn '01 1 1 3
25 Risa Ravitz '00 1 0 2
9 Carline Kelly '01 0 1 1
10 Aleni Pappas '00 0 1 1
Amherst Totals 26 14 66
Opponent Totals 4 1 9
Goalkeeping W L T Min Svs PC GA Sv% GAA ShO
Jes Rich '99 7 1 0 578 28 30 4 .875 0.48 6
Amherst Totals 7 1 0 578 28 30 4 .875 0.48 6
Opponent Totals 1 7 0 578 112 127 26 .812 3.15 0
Current Record: 7-1
Last Week: Middlebury, L 1-2
This Week: Thu Oct 9 at Smith, 7:00pm
Sun Oct 12 at Williams, 12:00
Hosting the Fourth Annual Amherst Invitational, the Firedogs posted their fourth victory in the round robin tournament. Amherst breezed to a 3-0 win over Connecticut College before avenging a 2-3 loss to Middlebury at the Williams Invitational three weeks ago with a 3-2 payback. In a repeat performance, the Firedogs rounded out the day with their second 3-0 win over Westfield State of the season.
Volleyball Wins Own Amherst Invitational
Current Record: 13-5
Last Week: Amherst Invitational, 1st place
Connecticut College, W 3-0
Middlebury, W 3-2
Westfield State, W 3-0
This Week: Tue Oct 7 at Trinity, 7:00pm
Sun Oct 12 at Bowdoin Invitational, 9:00am
Amherst held onto its No. 1 ranking in New England according to the New England Women's Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III Poll with its 6-0 record. The Jeffs claimed first place at the Rolex Championships this past weekend at Wellesley as rookie Jamie Cohen (Rye, NY) claimed both the singles and doubles titles, along with her partner Carolyn Pastel (Old Lyme, CT). Seeded 6th in the singles draw, Cohen outsted 2nd-seed Kanta Murali of Smith in the finals after upsetting top-seeded teammate Pam Diamond (Trumbull, CT) in the semis. Cohen-Pastel claimed the doubles title by default over top-seeded Diamond-Neely Steinberg (Concord, MA), as the two Amherst teams met in the finals.
Women's Tennis Still Undefeated
Current Record: 6-0
Last Week: Rolex at Wellesley, 1st place
Next Week: Wed Oct 8 Wesleyan, 3:30pm
Sun Oct 12 at Williams, 12:00pm