Williamstown, MA – It was a fittingly warm day at Farley-Lamb as two heated rivals went head-to-head; the Williams College Ephs (7-5, 5-3) hosted the #7 Amherst College Mammoths (9-3, 5-3) with points, pride, and playoff implications on the line.
There was palpable tension between the two teams in the opening quarter, both hungry to get the all-important first goal. With the crowd behind them, Williams would make an immediate statement as Calvin Caputo would score just a minute into the game and Finlay MacKnight would double the advantage soon after. Amherst would provide a response with a goal at the 6:06 mark, but the Ephs defense remained steady and composed. Ryan Johnson would add a goal late in the quarter to give the Ephs a 3-1 lead heading into the second quarter.
The roll would continue for the Ephs as Bjorn Davidson would tally a goal five minutes into the second quarter. MacKnight and Johnson would both find their second goals of the game as the Ephs found themselves up 6-1. With three seconds remaining in the half, Amherst would find a goal in a quarter that otherwise gave them fits. The Ephs defense continued to hold the Mammoths quiet with constant blocked passes and clears. Matthew Freitas would make five saves in the quarter, shining on Senior Day.
Halftime changed nothing in terms of momentum, Williams was on a mission that could not be stopped. Ryan Johnson completed his hat trick early into the quarter. After a massive defensive stop, long-stick Patrick Gaul ran the full length of the field before depositing a missile into the back of the Mammoths' net. Despite Amherst burying the next two goals, the Ephs remained in control. After a strong run and ball retention from Will Doran, he fired a nifty pass to the middle which was put home by Finlay MacKnight. The Ephs would head into the final quarter up 9-4.
Amherst would control more of the ball to begin the fourth quarter, with two goals to show for it. Still ahead 9-6, Williams looked for a response and would find one with Calvin Caputo. On a man-up advantage, the Ephs would work the ball around before finding Caputo whose goal extended the lead to 10-6. The Mammoths were not done, however, and fired home three more goals to make it 10-9 with just five minutes remaining. Amherst applied the pressure for minutes on end, throwing everything they had at the Williams goal. With a minute remaining, Amherst pushed one last time for the tying goal. The ball would eventually find a Mammoth streaking down towards the crease and, just like that, the game was tied.
Anticipation was at an all time high as the teams entered overtime, the next goal would win it. All eyes were on Jesse Shapiro as he danced with his defender. A little head fake sent the Mammoth chasing and Shapiro stepped down before unleashing a howitzer towards goal. The ball sailed into the net and the field erupted as the Ephs downed their rivals, 7th ranked Amherst, by a score of 11-10.
Following the emotional win, Coach McCormack said, "That's what great rivalries are all about; an overtime win, whether we win or they win, that's what college lacrosse is all about." Speaking about his players, Coach McCormack had this to say: "That was the best offense in our conference and it was a stellar performance from the defense. The offense did what it needed to and ultimately won us the game."
The Ephs will next host MIT on Tuesday at 7 PM.
