It’s a good time to be a soccer fan at Amherst College.

Both the women’s and men’s team won their respective NESCAC championship games on Sunday; it was also the second consecutive NESCAC title win for both programs and both programs’ seventh career NESCAC conference victories.

It was a momentous occasion for both teams, but especially for the women’s squad – the Mammoths had never won back-to-back NESCAC championships before this year, and it also positioned the No. 4 team in the nation for a prime seed in the NCAA Division III tournament. 

Though the women’s team had the top seed in the NESCAC tournament and hosted the title game, Saturday’s contest was far from easy. No. 3 Bowdoin jumped out to a 1-0 lead off a free kick goal from Greta Farkas in the 37th minute; that goal sent the Polar Bears into halftime with a one-goal lead. 

The Mammoths responded furiously, and found an equalizer nine minutes into the second half. Alyssa Huynh sent a cross into the box that found Abby Schwartz, who headed the ball into the upper right corner to tie the game. 

Neither team could find the back of the net until Fiona Bernet connected with Patience Kum for the go-ahead tally. Bernet sent a perfect pass to Kum, who danced around Bowdoin keeper Charlotte Iannone and a defender to send the ball into an open net. Kum’s goal stood as the game-winner for the Mammoths

While the women's team battled to defend its title at Hitchcock Field, the No. 2 men’s team was facing off against No. 4 Tufts at Middlebury College. 

The men’s game came down to two impressive performances – one from a freshman and one from a senior. Senior keeper Max Landa made six saves for the Mammoths to secure a shutout, and the game’s lone goal came from first-year Mohammed Nuhu, though it took awhile for him to find the back of the net. 

It looked like Nuhu might score with 56 seconds remaining in the first half, driving into the box and firing a golden chance on net that Tufts goalie Nikola Antic snagged to send both teams into halftime scoreless. 

Nuhu found the back of the net eight and a half minutes into the second half, beating most of Tufts’ defenders to single-handedly make his way to the left side of the box. From there, he fired a shot to the far post that beat Antic to give the Mammoths the lead and ultimately, the win. 

Though the Amherst women’s team had the higher national ranking in the final United Soccer Coaches poll – the women were ranked No. 4 while the men earned the No. 13 spot – the men’s team will host their regional while the women’s team travels to Babson for the first pair of games. 

The women’s team will play Maine Maritime Academy in the Round of 64, with the winner of that game drawing either Babson or RIT. Also worth noting – if Amherst gets out of this regional, their next match could be against NESCAC foe Williams in the Round of 16; Williams was the only team that bested Amherst (16-1-1) this season, beating the Mammoths 1-0 on Sept. 30. 

The men’s team (13-2-3) will host SUNY Poly this Saturday at 11 a.m. at Hitchcock Field. The winner of that game will play either Stevens or WPI in the Round of 32. 

Hannah Bevis can be reached at hbevis@gazettenet.com. Follow her on Twitter @Hannah_Bevis1.