AMHERST, Mass. ­ Sophomore Amherst College midfielder Katelyn McCabe (West Hartford, CT) and junior midfielder Cathy Poor (Harwich Port, MA) netted a goal each during a four-minute span late in the second half of Sunday¹s NESCAC showdown against visiting Colby College, lifting the Jeffs to a season-opening 2-0 win over the White Mules.

The Jeffs had the better part of play during a scoreless first half, nearly breaking through on a couple of scoring opportunities, including a pair of shots from McCabe that Colby goalie Abby Kussell (Weston, MA) stopped, before an apparent goal from Poor was disallowed in the 34th minute on an offsides call. The game remained scoreless well into the second half, with both teams having their opportunities. Amherst sophomore Brooke Diamond (Longmeadow, MA) was only tested a couple of times in net, and she turned away both Colby chances.

Finally, in the 75th minute, the Jeffs broke through. Rookie Sara Elkins (Berkeley Heights, NJ) sent a perfect cross in from the left wing, where McCabe, who tallied six goals during her rookie campaign, finished the ball with a left-footed blast to put the Jeffs on the scoreboard. The Jeffs kept the offensive pressure up, forcing a pair of corners in the ensuing minutes. On the second, Poor, who has led the Jeffs in scoring each of her first two seasons, came through the middle to finish the cross from Katie Shipley (Newton, MA), with a solid header, staking the Jeffs out to a 2-0 lead‹and closing the scoring‹at the 78:04 mark. Colby would not seriously threaten again.

For the Jeffs, the win was their fourth-straight in a season opener, as well as their fourth-consecutive win over Colby, including victories in the season opener in 1999, and in the 1999 ECAC quarterfinals. Next up for Amherst is a Wednesday afternoon home date against Smith College, while the Mules head to Wesleyan University next Saturday.