KEENE, N.H. - Sophomores Sarah Duffy (Fairfield, Conn.) and Chloe McKenzie (Upper Marlboro, Md.) netted a pair of first-half goals just 50 seconds apart, helping the Amherst women's soccer team erase an early deficit en route to a 3-1 victory over Keene State.

With the win, the eighth-ranked Lord Jeffs improved to 12-0-0 overall on the season, while setting a program record for consecutive victories. Just the third meeting between the two programs, Amherst avenged last season's 2-1 double-overtime loss to the Owls to take a 2-1 series lead. Keene State, which entered the contest on a five-game win streak, fell to 11-6-0 with the loss.

Looking to get off to a fast start, the Owls recorded three of the game's first four shots, putting the first try on net at 10:42, when Sia Karamourtopoulos '12 received the ball in the middle of the 18 before flicking a soft shot toward goal.

Minutes later, Amherst threatened to break the deadlock, generating a couple of early scoring chances on a Duffy shot that veered just wide at 13:28 and a long Kathryn Nathan '13 (Pembroke, Mass.) blast smothered by senior goalkeeper Megan Dempsey '12.

Switching fields in the 18th minute, the Owls played the ball to the left side of the Jeff goal to Jessica Berthiaume '14. Sending the cross into the box from the far side, Berthiaume found forward Hayley Kenyon '14, who redirected the pass into the Amherst net for the contest's first tally.

Hoping to quickly respond, a more aggressive Jeff attack pushed into the attacking third, finding an open Amanda Brisco '14 (Houston, Texas) in space, but  the sophomore forward rattled a shot off the post, narrowly missing an opportunity to pull Amherst even.

Continuing to apply pressure, Duffy began to make a run up the right wing in the 27th minute. Weaving through several Keene defenders, the Fairfield, Conn. native made her way into the right side of the 18-yard box before firing a low tracer into the lower left corner for the equalizer at 26:17.

Just 50 seconds later, the re-energized Jeffs won a corner to the right of the Owl goal. Playing the cross toward the near post, first-year Ariana Twomey (Boxford, Mass.) found the head of McKenzie who tucked the ball into the left corner to put Amherst on top.

Searching for more, the Jeffs outshot Keene 3-1 for the remainder of the period, almost going up two at when Kate Sisk (Sudbury, Mass.) hit the crossbar with a shot from 20-yards out just before the halftime horn.

Trying to carry their momentum into the second, Amherst wasted no time registering the stanza's first shot as Duffy ripped a rising ball from the right side that prompted a diving Dempsey save. Tracking down a through-ball into the box, Duffy again tested Dempsey in the 52nd minute, but the senior goalkeeper got both hands on the try destined for the near post to keep Keene within one.

Outshooting the Owls 6-2 over the next 15 minutes of action, Amherst again broke through in the 69th minute, when Nathan tallied her fifth goal of the season to put the Jeffs ahead 3-1. Moments later, the junior almost notched her second score, corralling a cross into the middle of the box before lifting a shot toward the upper left corner, but Dempsey again made a diving save to hold the Amherst offense at bay.

Having last surrendered a shot on junior Joan Hamel's try that went wide in the 60th minute, a disciplined Amherst backline did not allow a Keene shot over the final 30:44, sealing the Jeffs' 3-1 triumph.

Amherst finished with a decisive 20-8 shot advantage and a 9-1 edge in corners, while allowing just four tries on goal. Senior keeper Allie Horwitz (Woodbridge, Conn.) made three saves en route to her 12th victory, while Dempsey made seven stops in the loss.

The Lord Jeffs return to action on Saturday, Oct. 22 against Wesleyan. With a win or tie against the Cardinals, Amherst would secure the top seed in the upcoming NESCAC Championship.