Amherst, Mass. - Senior forward Joel Covelli (Carlisle, Ontario) scored the first two goals and sophomore goaltender Jonathan LaRose (Calgary, Alberta) made 39 saves and recorded a shutout to lead the Amherst College Lord Jeffs to a 3-0 win over the visiting Trinity College Bantams in the semifinal round of the New England Small College Athletic Conference Men's Ice Hockey Championship Tournament this evening at Orr Rink.  Trinity, attempting to defend its 2008 NESCAC title, finishes the season with a 16-9 record, while Amherst, ranked No. 6 in the nation, improves to 20-4-1 with its 12 consecutive victory and will play Middlebury in the league finals tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at Orr Rink.

Covelli scored his first goal during an Amherst power play on a rebound with assists provided by sophomore forward Luke Arnold (Lincoln, Mass.) and freshman forward Eddie Effinger (Belleville, Ill.).  The Jeffs nearly scored twice more in the first frame, as Vesprini stopped a two-on-one breakaway during Trinity power play after Amherst had stolen the puck from the Bantams on the back line, and an Amherst goal was nullified for deflecting off a Lord Jeff skate.

With just under 12 minutes on the clock in the second period, Trinity's closest chance to score was stopped, when LaRose dove to deny a shot by Trinity senior forward Riley Hicks (Calgary, Alberta).  Vesprini kept Trinity within a goal with numerous saves during a late second-period penalty kill situation, knocking away several hard wrist shots from close range by the Lord Jeffs.

In the third period, Covelli struck again with a nice backhand from 3:13 into the frame, and Lord Jeff sophomore forward Trip Wray (Walpole, Mass.) put the game away just under four minutes later with a wrist shot from against the boards on the right wing that found its way past Vesprini.  The Bantams put 22 shots on LaRose, despite absorbing 12 minutes of penalties, in the third frame but could not score.  Vesprini finished with 21 stops for Trinity.