AMHERST, Mass. — Senior Nico Kenary and sophomore Aidan Curtis scored second-half goals to help the #6 Amherst College men's soccer team beat the Husson University Eagles in the first round of the NCA Div. III Tournament on Saturday on Gooding Field.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* The Eagles competed with Amherst and held the score scoreless throughout the first half. Amherst dominated the first half but struggled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities as they sought an opening goal. Defensively, the Mammoths performed impeccably and the higher-seeded home side prevented Husson from taking a single shot during the first 45 minutes.

* In the 64th minute, Nico Kenary gave the Mammoths a 1-0 lead. An Amherst corner taken from the left floated into a sea of Amherst and Husson players in the penalty box. A scramble ensued with sophomore Simon Kalinauskas heading the ball forwards into the ground. Sophomore Fynn Hayton-Ruffner found a slither of space to release a shot toward goal which was immediately blocked by panicking Eagles defenders. The ball ricocheted to Kenary who calmly side-footed the ball into the goal from short range. The Eagles goalkeeper, Alex Rechsteiner, stood motionless as the ball slid past his left side. 

* Amherst made it 2-0 in the 75th minute to give the side a more comfortable lead with some wonderful link-up play between sophomores Aidan Curtis and Hayton-Ruffner. Curtis was dribbling the ball through a crowd of Eagles defenders in the penalty box before being held up from a risky slide tackle. The ball fell to Hayton-Ruffner who, on the right side, had his back to goal. Hayton-Ruffner quickly turned and chipped in a beautiful, accurate cross with his left cleat. Curtis, with space in the box between two defenders, sprung up to head the ball down past the goalkeeper from three yards in front of the goalline. Top-scorer Hayton-Ruffner now totals eight goals and nine assists for the season; Curtis' goal versus Husson was his sixth of the season. 

* Amherst advances into the Round of 32 of the NCAA Championship and will host St. Lawrence University Sunday at 1 p.m. on Hitchcock Field. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Amherst now holds a 13-1-5 overall record (4-1-5 in NESCAC regular season; 3-0-0 in NESCAC post-season; 1-0-0 in NCAA Tournament) for the season. 

* The Mammoths took 14 shots (4 on goal); Husson took 2 shots (2 on goal).