#5 Men's Soccer Knocks Off #2 Amherst 3-2

Box Score AMHERST - On Saturday afternoon at Hitchcock Field the fifth-ranked Tufts Men's Soccer team came from behind and took down NESCAC rival Amherst College 3-2. The win is Tufts' first at Amherst since 2002, a span of 12 games.
 
After erasing two deficits on the day, in the 63^rd minute it was Zach Seigelstein who was able to give Tufts a 3-2 lead and they would hold onto it for the remainder of the game. A free kick was earned just inside midfield. Liam Gerken clipped the free kick into the box where it was headed from one side to the other eventually finding Seigelstein for a shot up over Bernie White, the goalie for Amherst.
 
The game was back and forth throughout the whole 90 minutes. The first goal scored was from Amherst in the fifth minute by Laurens Ten Cate. A ball was flicked onto him from the long throw of Alex Shahmirzadi. The ball hit the ground and found Ten Cate and he tucked it into the bottom right corner giving the Mammoths a 1-0 lead. It was only two minutes later that Tufts was awarded a free kick that was put on frame and saved by White, but the rebound went right into the path of Ian Daly as he ran onto it and buried it past the keeper, evening the score at 1-1. This remained the score for the rest of the first half.
 
As the second half of play began more goals were expected. It took less than 30 seconds for Ada Okorogheye to receive a ball into the box from Jonny Novak where he jumped over two Tufts defenders and headed the ball into the bottom left corner making it 2-1 Amherst. The Jumbos responded instantly 30 seconds later with a goal coming from Liam Gerken, as he got the ball off the defense in the box and put it past White equalizing the match 2-2. The Jumbos rolled with that momentum and closed out the game 3-2.
 
Amherst out-shot Tufts 18-9, but Jumbo sophomore keeper Erik Lauta made six saves and was a key player in the Jumbos' victory. White totaled three saves on the day for himself. Amherst also won the corners battle 13-2, but were unable to capitalize.
 
Tufts now stands 2-1-1, 1-1-1 NESCAC. Amherst gets their first loss of the season and is now 3-1-1, 0-1-1. Tufts with a quick turnaround plays at Williams College  tomorrow at 2 p.m.
  
Written by Daniel Pierce, Athletic Communications Intern