AMHERST, MASS. -- First year Kiki Higgins scored the most important goal of her collegiate career thus far, as the 5th seeded Ephs upset the 4th seeded Amherst Mammoths 2-1, and advanced to the NESCAC Tournament Semifinals.
With a highly competitive matchup, the Ephs did not get their first shot of the game until the second quarter. The Ephs took advantage when a penalty corner was awarded at the 22:37 mark. First year Pilar Torres inserted the corner and found senior Emily Batchelor at the edge of the circle. Batchelor with a back handed pass found senior Catherine Torres who ripped one right into the back of the net and put the Ephs up 1-0 going into the break.Â
The defensive line played crucial roles as both teams failed to get a shot off in the third quarter.Â
With 4:14 left in regulation time, Amherst's Sam Maynard found an opportunity from a penalty corner and tied the game 1-1 for the Mammoths. In the dying minute of the game, Batchelor's high pressure saw the Ephs regain possession in Amherst's half. With 13 seconds to go, junior Liz Scarcella rolled it into the circle, where Higgins was ready to pick it up and clinch the 2-1 victory for the Ephs.Â
"I have no words," reflected head Coach Alix Barrale after the dramatic finish. "So incredibly proud of our team. We fought hard and played out of our minds for 60 minutes. Even after they tied it up, we dug deep and finished in the circle. What a sensational goal by Kiki!! Amazing game."
A sensational game it was indeed. Both offense and defense played their roles to get the job done. The Ephs outshot the Mammoths 8-2, with 3 shots on target for Williams and 1 for Amherst.
The Ephs advance to the NESCAC Tournament semifinals as they await their opponent. NESCAC semifinals are set to be played on Saturday, November 5th, and matchups are set to be released soon following all quarterfinal results.
Â
