Cabrini all that stands in Amherst’s way

Amherst midfielder Matt Solberg. (Chris Wraight, Clarus Studios Inc.)

Every year, the word “gauntlet” can describe what teams from the North portion of the Division 3 NCAA tournament bracket must endure. Amherst has learned that lesson the hard way in 2019.

The Mammoths (18-3), set to face Cabrini on Sunday in both program’s first national championship game, has marched past Elizabethtown, Wesleyan, Tufts and Williams to reach this point. The latter three teams are fellow NESCAC sides, with Wesleyan and Tufts combining for four Div. 3 national titles this decade.

Now it’ll all come down to one game in Philadelphia, Pa., at Lincoln Financial Field, a fact head coach Jon Thompson (Freeport, Maine) knows well.