SOUTH HADLEY, MA - Nine different players cracked the scoring column - including first-year back Kate Ferris (Newton, MA), who notched the first goal and assist of her college career while helping preserve the shutout on defense - as the Amherst College women's soccer team improved to 7-4-1 with a lopsided 9-0 win at non-league foe Mt. Holyoke College on Thursday afternoon. The host Lyons fell to 3-10-2 with the loss.

The Jeffs started slowly but built momentum as the game wore on. Senior back Margaret Rubin (McLean, VA) sparked the onslaught with her second goal of the season, off an assist from fellow senior tri-captain Cathy Poor (Harwich Port, MA) with 8:40 remaining in the first half. Junior midfielder Briana Porco (Fairfield, CT) then connected on her first goal of the season just before the break to give Amherst a 2-0 halftime lead.

The Jeffs broke the game wide-open in the second half as Poor, senior Sarah O'Keefe (West Hartford, CT), sophomore Jenny Rossman (Newton, MA), first-year Lee-Jay Henry (Springfield, MA), junior Katharine Shipley (Newton, MA), sophomore Kelly Leisman (Weston, MA) and Ferris each found the back of the net in succession to cement the victory. Henry and sophomore midfielder Sara Elkins (Berkeley Hts., NJ) both assisted on goals in the second half, in addition to Ferris.

Junior goalkeeper Brooke Diamond (Longmeadow, MA) needed just four saves to notch her third shutout of the season - the Jeffs fifth overall.

Amherst will conclude regular-season and conference play with an 11 a.m. matchup against visiting Little Three rival Wesleyan University on Saturday. The Jeffs are guaranteed a spot in the seven-team NESCAC Championship Tournament, with first-round action kicking off Sunday at Bates College. Final seedings will be announced on Saturday afternoon.