Box Score Amherst, Mass. - September 15, 2015 - In a battle of regionally-ranked teams, the 18th ranked Amherst College women's soccer team used two second half goals to secure a come-from-behind victory, 2-1 against Springfield College Tuesday night.
With the win, Amherst moves to 3-0-0 overall, while the Pride fall to 3-1-1 on the season with its first loss. In today's NSCAA New England Regional rankings, the Lord Jeffs were ranked third, while the Pride was ranked fifth.
In an evenly matched contest, it would take 23 minutes before either side registered a true scoring threat. With 22:50 left on the clock, Amherst's Hannah Guzzi streaked down the field and lofted a shot from the top right of the box that just narrowly floated over the top left corner of the net.
Springfield was quick to respond, recording an offensive scare of their own with 17 minutes left to play in the first half. In an ensuing free kick, Brooke Hattinger (Weymouth, Mass.) sent a well-place shot past the Amherst defense towards the net, but Jeff netminder Holly Burwick was up to the task, diving to her left to thwart the effort.
Alex Sotak and Rachel Abernathy would both test Pride goaltender Ciara Boucher (Manchester, Conn.) before the opening half's end, registering a shot off the post and forcing Boucher to make an athletic diving save, but the matchup would ultimately move into intermission at a 0-0 deadlock.
The second half proved to be a fast-paced and entertaining one, with 16 shots, five corner kicks, and three goals being recorded between the two sides.
The Pride would strike first, with Dakota Kelly (Bethany, Conn.) notching her second score of the season, sending a hard shot from the top left corner of the box past the outstretched hands of Burwick and into the top right corner of the net in the 64th minute of play.
Back-and-forth play ensued for the next 13 minutes, with both the Jeffs and the Pride sending multiple shots on net.
It would take 77 minutes for the Jeffs to get on the scoreboard. Streaking down the side, Delancey King sent a cross from the right endline towards net that found the hand of a Springfield defender in the box. Tabbed to take the penalty kick, Megan Kim would take advantage of the opportunity, sending a shot into the top right corner of the goal.
With six minutes left to play, it was once again Kim who was able to find the back of the net. Finding an errant rebound, Kim one-touched the ball past Boucher on her lower right side.
The Pride had one final chance to tie the game late in the contest, with Elizabeth Monsen (Wayne, N.J.) corralling a loose ball and sending a shot from inside the box just wide of the net .
Amherst was edged in both shots and corner opportunities in the win, with Springfield holding a 14-13 and 4-2 advantage, respectively. Burwick finished the game with five saves in the winning effort, while Boucher registered three saves for the Pride.
Springfield will begin New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday when it travels to take on Coast Guard at 2:30 pm.
