AMHERST, MA - Sophomore forward Beau Kretzman (Edina, MN) netted a goal with less than three minutes remaining in regulation to give the Amherst College men's hockey team a 4-3 victory over visiting NESCAC and Little Three rival Williams College Friday night at Orr Rink. With the victory, the Jeffs - who downed Wesleyan University, 7-4, earlier this season - take the Little Three crown and improve to 6-11-2 overall and 6-7-1 in league play, while the visitors dropped to 6-11-2 and 6-6-2.

Amherst drew first blood 1:52 into the contest when junior defender Chris Norqual (Eden Prairie, MN) blasted a one-timer into the back of the net, assisted by classmate Mike Kreger (Glenview, IL) and rookie Ted Bickel (Minnetonka, MN). The Ephs countered with a pair of goals by juniors Jabe Bergeron (Chesterfield, NH) and Brian Teixeira (East Falmouth, MA). Amherst retaliated when senior defender Erich Schram (Madison, WI) took a nifty feed from Kretzman and tickled the twine, evening the score at 2-2 heading into the second period.

The Jeffs took the lead when Schram notched his second goal but Eph junior forward Josh Truitt (Westlake, OH) answered right back, knotting the score at 3-3 to end the second. Kretzman tallied the game-winner late in the third, wristing a shot from behind the net off Williams senior netminder Mike Aroesty's (Pittsford, NY) left leg. The Jeffs killed off a late power play - which was filled with spectacular saves by rookie goaltender Sean Lynch (Essex Junction, VT) - to seal the win. Lynch and Aroesty each finished with 27 saves.

Amherst returns to action Saturday at 3 p.m. against visiting NESCAC foe Middlebury College.