Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – In their matchup with time-honored rival, Amherst College (3-1-0, 2-1-0, NESCAC), the Williams field hockey team (1-4-0, 0-3-0 NESCAC) lost by a score of 4-0.
Amherst began the game with possession, and was able to hold on to it in Williams' defensive end for the first six minutes of play. Williams was able to keep the Amherst offense at bay, however, and take their turn on offense. Despite an offensive push by Williams at the 24:08 mark, Amherst goalie Rachel Tannenbaum made a diving save to keep the score at 0-0. Williams would get another shot off before a change of possession, but the Amherst defense was able to clear the ball out successfully.
Transitioning to offense quickly, the Lord Jeffs were able to push the ball deep into the Eph's defensive end. Amherst's Krista Zsitvay took possession of the ball and dribbled it low into the left corner of the fan and put the ball past Williams goalie, Nina Kumar to gain the first lead of the game. Trying to turn the momentum in their favor, Williams made a charge towards net but a shot by Annie VanWagenen went wide at the 16:36 mark. With a yellow card on Caitlin Conlin at the 4:32 mark, Williams hustled to make up for their man-down disadvantaged. However, when an Amherst shot on goal gained them a stroke, Amherst was able to extend their lead to two goals. Zsitvay was able to put the ball past Kumar in the top left corner of the net. Although Amherst would keep up the pressure and offensive attempts for the last few minutes of the half, Williams would keep them at bay until the start of the second half.
Things were looking up for the Ephs at the 34:35 mark when they gained a man up advantage due to a yellow card on the Lord Jeff's Alex Phillie. Keeping the ball in Amherst's defensive end, Williams tried to capitalize on a few shots on net. Emily Jablonski made a nice drive to net, dribbling through defenders to take a shot on goal and draw a corner. The penalty corner proved unsuccessful, however, and Amherst was unable Amherst went on to take control of the ball. Ellie Anderson would score off of a penalty corner, crossing the ball from the left side of the field to the center and back to the left corner so quickly that the defense did not have time to shift. With the score at 3-0 in Amherst's favor, Williams switched goalies, putting senior Arianna Spiliotes in net.
Although the Ephs continued to hustle, the Lord Jeffs were able to score one last goal. "It's not that we didn't have chances or that we weren't evenly matched," said coach Alix Barrele. "It's just that they finished and capitalized on opportunities and we didn't. Once you get up by three goals like they did, you can relax and really start executing very well. That's exactly what Amherst did." With the added confidence of a three goal lead, at the 8:20 mark, Zsitvay scored her third goal of the game, taking a shot at the lower left corner to put it in the back right corner of the net.
Goalies Nina Kumar and Arianna Spiliotes would have a combined seven saves in the game for Williams, while Amherst goalie Rachel Tannenbaum would finish the game with four.
Williams next takes on Connecticut College on Saturday at 12 PM.
