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Jamie
Love-Nichols pulled the Jumbos within a goal late in the
game
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AMHERST – The 15th-ranked Amherst College women's soccer
team played host to visiting NESCAC rival Tufts University this
afternoon at Hitchcock Field. Amherst scored the first two goals of
the game and held off a late charge from the Jumbos en route to a
2-1 victory.
With the win, Amherst improves to 3-0-1 on the year, and 2-0-1
in conference play. The loss drops the Jumbos to 1-1-1 overall, and
1-1-0 in the NESCAC. Today's result extends Amherst's winning
streak against Tufts to three games, after having gone winless
against the Jumbos from 2005-07.
In the 11th minute, Amherst junior forward Livia Rizzo (Dover,
MA) had the first scoring chance for either team. Off a long free
kick from classmate Jill Kochanek (Pittsburgh, PA), Rizzo put a
header towards the far post but her bid cruised harmlessly
wide.
Four minutes later, senior tri-captain Jackie Hirsch (Wilmette,
IL) released rookie Kate Sisk (Sudbury, MA) into the Tufts box for
a break. Sisk's second touch gave her a tough angle and her near
post shot was denied by Tufts goalie Phoebe
Hanley (Mamaroneck, NY).
With just 1:08 to play in the first half, Amherst caught a break
as the assistant referee alerted the head official of a handball in
the box by the Jumbos. On the resulting penalty kick, Kathryn
Nathan (Pembroke, MA) slotted a confident finish into the lower
left corner to put the Jeffs up 1-0.
With just over 23 minutes to play in the second half Tufts
forward Jamie
Love-Nichols (Cortez, CO) beat Amherst goalie Allie Horwitz
(Woodbridge, CT) with a shot to her left. The ball bounced hard off
the left post, and back into Love-Nichols' path behind Horwitz. The
Jumbo striker hit a second shot with her first touch, but the
rebound effort caromed off the cross bar and out of danger.
Amherst's lead was stretched to two goals with 17 minutes to
play off a tally by Hirsch. After Hannah Cooper's (Bethesda, MD)
shot bounced under Tufts goalie Kristin
Wright (Austin, TX), Hirsch pounced on the rebound to bang home
the ball into an empty net.
The Jumbos grabbed one score back on an impressive individual
effort from Love-Nichols in the 73rd minute. After weaving through
the Amherst defense, Love-Nichols beat Horwitz with a bouncing shot
to the lower left corner off her left foot, cutting the Amherst
lead to 2-1.
Horwitz finished the game with five saves, including four in the
second half. Hanley and Wright made two saves apiece in the
loss.
Tufts is at Wheaton College on Wednesday (Sept. 22) in its next
start (4:30 pm). The Lord Jeffs return to action on Wednesday
evening at Springfield College for a 7 pm game under the lights.
The road game against the Pride will be Amherst's final night game
of the season.
Game Statistics
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Game release courtesy of Amherst
College
