Undefeated Men’s Soccer Success Reminiscent of 2015-16

Just how good is the Amherst men’s soccer team this year? With a dominant 2-1 win over Bates on Saturday, Amherst continued its streak of success.

Bryce Johnson ’21 and Ignacio Cubeddu ’23 each netted goals in the first half for the Mammoths, who were relatively untroubled by the Bobcats, despite conceding a point in the 70th minute when the game had already been decided.

Head coach Justin Serpone’s squad seems to have a solid chance to succeed this year. Consider a comparison in the statistics of this year’s Mammoths and the 2015 squad, who brought home a DIII National Championship trophy.

In 2015, Amherst headed into its final regular season game with a record of 14-0 and 9-0 in the NESCAC. They took 17.6 shots per game and netted 2.14 goals per game while giving up just 0.23, posting a dominant average goal differential of 1.91. That squad went on to lose its only game in the NESCAC championship, finishing the season with an 18-1-2 record and a national championship. Four years later, the Mammoths are thundering into the home stretch at a remarkably similar speed; they currently carry an undefeated record of 12-0-2, 7-0-2 in the NESCAC.

Taking 23.3 shots per game (first in DIII), this year’s marks of 2.57 goals per game and 0.69 allowed combine to form a relatively equal average goal differential of 1.88.

As of press time, this year’s Mammoths seem poised to finish the regular season in similar form to the 2015 squad heading into the NESCAC Tournament.

While the two teams sported similar average goal differentials, this year’s team is shooting and scoring at a much higher rate.

The 2.57 goals per game mark set by the 2019 Mammoths is a testament to the team’s offensive firepower and a big reason why the team is currently on top of the DIII soccer landscape.

Amherst is ranked first overall in shots per game, and star striker German Giammattei ’22 sits at second in individual goals per game with an astounding mark of 1.42. Giammattei recently set the Amherst single-season scoring record with his game-winning goal in overtime versus Colby.

Defender Jack O’Brien ’21 had high praise for the offense: “Our attacking players have been great all year. They’re all great individual players, but I think their chemistry and the way they complement each other are what really make them special. We’re happy to have them and we’re looking forward to seeing what they do in the near future.”

The 2019 Amherst Mammoths have an individual record holder, lead the nation in shots and overall ranking and show strong statistical similarities to the 2015 group that won a national championship. As Johnson put it, “there is no cap on what Amherst soccer can accomplish this year.” Amherst heads to Trinity on Wednesday, Oct. 30 for their final regular season game, and will likely host their NESCAC quarterfinal match on Saturday, Nov. 2.