MIDDLEBURY, VT. -- First year Mohammed Nuhu scored in the 54th minute Sunday and senior goalkeeper Max Landa made six big saves as the 13th-ranked Amherst College men's soccer team edged Tufts University for its second straight NESCAC Tournament Championship, 1-0, at Middlebury College's South Street Field. 

It was the third time in program history the Mammoths have won back-to-back NESCAC titles and it was the seventh championship overall for Amherst, the most of any school since the NESCAC Tournament began in 2000. 

"It might not be possible  for me to feel more happiness for our guys than I do right now, especially the seniors," Amherst head coach Justin Serpone said. "As a coach, all you can ask for is a bunch of people who want to learn and grow and enjoy the process. We took a lot of lessons from all the games this season that led up to today. It hasn't been easy but that's what's makes it worthwhile."

The Mammoths improved to 13-2-3 on the season and earned the NESCAC's automatic berth into the Div. III NCAA Tournament. They will await word on opponent and destination which will come Monday during the NCAA Div. III Men's Soccer Selection Show slated for 2 p.m.

"We want to enjoy this day so we'll focus on NCAA's once the selection show rolls around," Serpone said. "We have to enjoy days like this because they don't happen easily, or very often."

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

* Landa's big day began immediately. In the third minute Tufts had a corner kick sail low into the box from the left. Taylor Feinberg was able to one-time a chip shot aimed for the upper 90 at the near post, but Landa leaped high in the air to snare the shot. 

* Landa was in the right place with 23:34 remaining to snare a left-footed shot from 20 yards out by Tufts' Daniel Yanez. 

* Amherst had a pair of chances quickly after that. Niall Murphy got a head on a free kick from Ada Okorogheye but the Jumbos keeper was there to snare. Less then a minute later Nuhu served a free kick into the box from the right sideline and Shawn rapal put a head on it, but to no avail. 

* With 6:40 to go in the first half, Tufts' Woovin Shin unloaded a left-footed rocket from 20 yards out, but Landa made a nice diving save to his right to keep the game scoreless. 

* With 56 seconds left before halftime, Nuhu made a run deep into the box to the left of the Jumbos goal but his chip shot was saved by Nikola Antic. 

* Nuhu wouldn't wait much longer to make an impact. Just 8:23 into the second half, he created a goal on his own. Niall Murphy won a ball at midfield and pushed a pass over to Nuhu just over the midfield stripe on the left sideline. Nuhu somehow maneuvered his way around a Tufts defense to head deeper into the Tufts end. He outraced another Tufts defender, stopped on a dime, took a dribble back toward the center of the field before quickly reversing course again, splitting two Jumbo defenders and dribbling toward the Tufts box on the left side. As he approached the box, he floated a shot through the goal area that tucked inside the far right post for the game's first and only goal with 36:37 left.

"Mo's goal is going to go down in Amherst history," Serpone said. "He's an an unreal season. It's scary to think he's a first-year."

* With 29:57 left in the game, Tufts nearly found the equalizer as Sean Traynor ripped a shot on goal from just outside the top right of the box. Landa again made a leaping save and watched as a Jumbo put his head on the rebound but pushed it wide right. 

* With only 15:27 remaining, Tufts' Gibson Campbell made a made dash into the Mammoth's box and fired a low shot at Landa, who made a dive to his left to block the shot. Simon Kalinauskas got a back heel on the rebound and pushed it out of harm's way. 

"Tufts was really good today," Serpone said. "They have the ability to make a really deep tournament run - as do the the other three or four NESCAC teams that are selected. What an incredible year it's been in our league."

Serpone cited the great work of midfielder James Street as a key component to the victory.

"James Street was awesome today," stated Serpone. "He got the news he was going to start at 9am and played a terrific ninety minutes. I'm happy for him and he's exactly what Amherst soccer is all about."

BY THE NUMBERS:

* Tufts had a 17-10 edge in shots. Each team took 8 in the first 45 minutes, but the Jumbos' held a 9-2 advantage in the seocn stanza, but were outscored 1-0. 

* The Mammoths had an 8 to 7 edge in corner kick chances. 

* Landa finished with 6 saves and Antic 4.