Around the Herd: Sept. 2 to Sept. 8 in Athletics

Volleyball

In their opening week, the volleyball team went 3-1. After a four-set loss to Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Sept. 2, they rebounded with three straight wins: four-set victories over Mount Holyoke on Sept. 5 and Western New England University on Sept. 6, and a sweeping win against Oswego State later that day.

In their first sweep of the season, the first set was the closest of the match, with Amherst prevailing 25-23. The Mammoths scored first in the set, getting a point off a block from Abby Nichols ’28 and Sofia Camilo ’28. From there, the two teams traded points before the Mammoths pulled off the narrow victory. 

The team kept this offense going into the second set against Oswego, scoring nine of the first ten points. Key kills from Addison Lau ’29, Camilo, and Nichols defended Amherst’s lead before Charlotte Rasmussen ’26 delivered a critical kill to secure the second set.

In the third set, the Mammoths gained a lead and never looked back. Two aces by Allie McLaughlin ’27 set the tone, and Oswego State could not recover. Amherst claimed the third set 25-17, for the 3-0 win. In the match, Lau led the team with 11 kills, while Camilo and McLaughlin had 8 and 7, respectively. Judith Subirats-Bosch ’29 had 24 assists for the Mammoths, while Chideraa Ngwadom ’27 led the way with four blocks. 

With three straight wins at the Amherst College Volleyball Tournament, the team heads to New York City next weekend for the Violet Volleyball Weekend, where it will face New York University, Christopher Newport University, and Montclair State University.

Women’s Soccer

The preseason No. 6 DIII women’s soccer team kicked off its 2025 season with three straight wins, including its first NESCAC win of the season. After defeating Worcester Polytechnic Institution 1-0, they travelled to Connecticut College, where they beat the Camels 3-0. Just one day later, they hosted Smith, whom they also bested 2-1.

The game against Connecticut College started off with great chances for the Mammoths, who registered the first shot of the game at the five-minute mark. However, it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that the team was able to put the ball past the Camels’ keeper, Maia Kafer, when Emma Darling ’29 found Jessica Lomo ’27 for the first tally of the game.

Bringing this energy with them into the second half, Darling — after the assist — joined in on the scoring action. After Caroline Coletti ’28 barely missed the net, Darling regained possession and scored to give the Mammoths a 2-0 lead. In the 73rd minute, Millie McLeod ’28 also showcased her poise and talent by shooting past the Connecticut goalie for a 3-0 lead, a score that held until the final whistle. In the end, the Mammoths demonstrated their dominance, registering 20 shots compared to the Camels’ nine. Amherst keeper Lulu Fickes ’26 registered one save in the 76 minutes she played, while keeper Molly Davidson ’29 added three of her own in the remaining time to keep the Camels from getting on the scoreboard.

The dominant week is just the start for what will surely be a promising season. The women’s soccer team is back in action, hosting NESCAC rival Williams on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 12 p.m. on Hitchcock Field.

Field Hockey

Women’s field hockey opened its season with a pair of away victories, first beating Springfield College 2-0 on Wednesday, and then traveling to Connecticut College on Saturday, handing the Camels a 4-3 overtime loss. 

Their game at Springfield started off quickly. Just past the eight-minute mark, Molly Donegan ’26 collected a rebound from a hit by Isa Lattuada ’26 and sent it past the Springfield goalie for an early 1-0 lead. Multiple strong attempts by Springfield kept the Mammoths on their toes, but goalie Grace Puchalski ’27 was able to keep it scoreless. Then, in the third quarter, the Mammoths doubled up on the Spirits. This time, it was Katie Kantrovitz ’27 who sent an overhead pass upfield, which was again corralled by Donegan. The senior forward fired the shot into the lower left corner, where it found the back of the goal. The Mammoths maintained the two-goal lead, with Puchalski registering two saves in the victory.

The team is back home this week, hosting Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Wednesday, Sept. 10, before their big weekend game against Little Three Rival Williams at home on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m.

Men’s Soccer

In their first week of the season, the No. 1-ranked men’s soccer team in the country faced Suffolk University and Connecticut College. Against the Rams on Wednesday, the Mammoths were held scoreless despite numerous opportunities, and the match ended 0-0 after 90 minutes.

On Saturday, the team faced the No. 2-ranked Camels in a rematch of last year’s National Championship, in which Amherst emerged victorious in a closely contested match. Amherst’s first offensive chance came in the 26th minute; after Adrian Trott ’26 made a strong play to maintain possession, Vincent Akanbo ’29 — under pressure — passed the ball to Timothy Chow ’29, allowing him to slot the ball into the net. Connecticut College responded with offensive pressure of its own, but a key save from goaltender Trey Sheppard ’28 kept Amherst ahead. The Camels’ goalkeeper also performed well, diving to stop Mohammed Nuhu ’27’s penalty kick attempt after a handball nine minutes into the second period. Only seconds later, Leo Wilensky ’29 doubled the Mammoths’ lead from the back post of the goal after the team was awarded yet another penalty. Due to weather concerns, the game ended prematurely in the 81st minute. However, per NESCAC ruling, Amherst returned home with a 2-0 victory.

The team will return to the pitch for their home opener against Albertus Magnus College on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Women’s Cross Country

This week, the women’s cross country team opened its season by competing in the Little Three Championship on Saturday, facing Williams and Wesleyan.

Hannah Stephenson ’28 led the team in the 4-kilometer race, placing second overall with a time of 14:48. Following closely behind, Ani Bailin ’29 finished in 15:07 to place ninth, and Flora Biro ’28 crossed the line at 15:33 to end in 10th. Teammates Katie Greenwald ’29 and Audrey Seeger ’28 completed Amherst’s scoring five with times of 15:34 and 15:49, respectively, to earn 15th and 16th. These finishes earned the Mammoths 35 points, besting Wesleyan’s 75 but falling to beat Williams’ 25. The second-place finish breaks Amherst’s three-year Little Three Championship streak. Stephenson was named the NESCAC cross country Runner of the Week as well as the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s national Athlete of the Week. 

The team will compete again on Sept. 20 at the Cardinal Invitational in Middletown, Connecticut, hoping for improved results.

Men’s Cross Country

Like the women’s team, the men’s cross country team opened its season at the Little Three Championships, competing in a 6-kilometer race Saturday at Memorial Field against rivals Williams and Wesleyan. 

Amherst’s top runner was Harrison Dow ’27, who finished in 18:56, placing fourth overall. Making their collegiate debuts, Carter Bengtson ’29 and Caleb Barnes ’29 crossed the finish line in 19:13 and 19:28 to take ninth and 11th, respectively. Shortly after, Thomas Stephens ’26 finished with a time of 19:35 and Stan Craig ’27 finished in 19:39 to earn 12th and 14th, rounding out the Mammoths’ five scoring runners. With a total of 50 points, Amherst was ultimately bested by the Ephs’ score of 29 and the Cardinals’ 47. 

On Sept. 20, the Mammoths will race again at the Cardinal Invitational hosted by Wesleyan. 

Head of the Herd: Jessica Lomo ’27

Despite graduating strong leaders and starters, the women’s soccer team also returned multiple impact players, including this week’s Head of the Herd, Jessica Lomo ’27. In the team’s first week of play, she registered a team-leading three goals and one assist for a combined seven points. Her outstanding play garnered her the first NESCAC Women’s Soccer Player of the Week award, and her three goals are tied for first place in the conference. We checked in with Lomo about her thoughts on the team’s upcoming season after her stellar performance: “I feel blessed to have been nominated as POTW, and want to strive to fill my team’s cup whenever necessary. With this new season, my goal is to stay consistent, reminding myself of our mission.”