MEDFORD, MA – A penalty kick goal from
Brooke Ingemi lifted the Amherst College women's soccer team to a top-5 up win, picking up a vital three points in the NESCAC on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Taking on No. 3 Tufts on the road, the Mammoths handed the Jumbos their first loss of the season with a gutsy performance, coming out on top 2-1.
With the win, the Mammoths improve to 8-2-2 this season, while Tufts falls to 10-1-1. Amherst will hope to carry that momentum into their last three conference games, with the first at coming home against Hamilton on Saturday, Oct. 18. That game will also serve as the team's Senior Day, as they will honor the class of 2026 on the field prior their 12 p.m. kickoff against the Continentals.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
* The Mammoths came out of the locker room hot, putting pressure on the Jumbos back line and threatening from the get-go. That pressure led to the game's first goal just under 10 minutes in. Darling received a slip ball from
Jessica Lomo and weaved her way into the 18-yard box, firing a shot that was initially blocked. The first-year phenom gathered her own rebound, taking a touch to separate herself from her defender and fired a left-footed shot low across the face of goal to the right side-netting to give the Mammoths the lead.
* However, Tufts came into the game undefeated for a reason and ramped up pressure of their own for the rest of the half. Their best chance came after a tough hand-ball call in the Amherst box sent the Jumbos to the penalty spot. Goalkeeper
Lulu Fickes went the right way, but the shot from Tufts' Caroline Kelly soared over the goal to preserve the 1-0 margin.
* That is how the game would look heading into halftime, but like the Mammoths in the first period, the Jumbos wasted no time getting on the board in the second. A counter attack sprung Kelly up the right side, and she played a looping ball to the far post, where it was headed in to tie the game at 1-1 16 minutes into the second frame.
* The Mammoths were undeterred, though, not letting the goal get to them. The game continued in very back and forth fashion from then on, with the teams trading shots and taking turns finding success in their build up. The Mammoths' midfield of
Katie O'Reilly,
Katie Pedersen,
Sophia Haynes and Ingemi helped the Mammoths keep the Jumbos most dynamic playmakers in check and afforded the team the opportunity that eventually handed them the win.
* With just about 5 minutes to go in the game, Pedersen was able to feed the ball to Lomo, who beat her defender to the ball and raced in behind the Tufts defense. The junior cut to her right and was then taken down in the box by a sliding Jumbo to give her team a penalty kick. Ingemi kept calm under pressure, burying the kick to give the Mammoths a late lead at 2-1.
* The Mammoth defense tightened up after the goal, with stalwarts
Mekhala Costello,
Ella Johnson,
Sofia Preuss, and
Kate Quigley holding the Jumbos without a dangerous chance to seal the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* With her goal against the Jumbos, Darling netted her joint team-leading fourth goal of the year and putting her in sole possession of the team lead in points with 11.
* The Jumbos outshot the Mammoths overall; however, most did not come near Fickes in goal, as only 7 of their 24 shots were put on frame. The Mammoths took 9 shots in the contest, with 6 on goal.
* Fickes had another good game in goal, making 6 saves against the Jumbos.
