Contact: Ben Badua

GRANTHAM, Pa. - Amherst sophomore forward Sarah Duffy (Fairfield, Conn.) broke a scoreless deadlock in the 56th minute to lead the Amherst women's soccer team to a 2-0 win over previously undefeated Johns Hopkins University in an NCAA Sectional Semifinal hosted by Messiah College.

Improving to 20-0-0 on the season and 23-7-3 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, the Lord Jeffs will make their first appearance in the national quarterfinals since 2008, advancing to face the host Falcons in tomorrow's showdown on Shoemaker Field slated for 1 p.m. The Blue Jays, ranked fourth in the latest NSCAA Coaches Poll, finish their 2011 campaign with a 21-1-0 overall record, falling to 11-9-2 in NCAA postseason play.

Hoping to get off to a fast start an aggressive Blue Jay offense won five corners during the game's first six minutes but a disciplined Amherst backline surrendered just one shot during the span to weather the early storm.

Going on the offensive in the 10th minute, junior Kathryn Nathan (Pembroke, Mass.) put the Jeffs' first shot on goal but senior goalkeeper Kristen Redsun got a hand on the try to keep Hopkins level. Continuing to apply pressure, first-year Mel Stier (Deerfield, Mass.) and Duffy each put an attempt on net at 18:48 and 21:21, but Redsun again rose to the challenge, turning away both tries to keep things scoreless.

Looking to change the game's momentum, the Blue Jays moved into the attacking third during the half's final 20 minutes, outshooting Amherst 5-1. Searching for the game's first tally in the waning moments of the first, Erica Suter '12 rattled a shot off the post at 41:17, narrowly missing an opportunity to put Johns Hopkins on the board. 

Corralling the rebound, teammate Alyssa Conti '15 put the ensuing ricochet on net but senior goalkeeper Allie Horwitz (Woodbrige, Conn.) made her fourth save of the afternoon to keep Amherst even heading into the intermission.

Hoping to set the tone to start the second, Stier put the frame's first shot on goal at 47:30, prompting another Redsun stop. Tracking down a loose ball in the 56th minute, Duffy found herself behind the Blue Jay backline for a breakaway before chipping her team-leading 14th goal of the season over the head of an on-coming Redsun to stake the Jeffs to a 1-0 lead. 

Peppering the Hopkins defense with four more shots over the next 10 minutes of action, Amherst again broke through in the 66th minute. Settling a Nathan header back toward the top of the 18 following throw in, first-year Ariana Twomey (Boxford, Mass.) quickly looked to goal, ripping a hard, rising shot into the upper right corner for her first career marker at 65:47.

Holding onto a two-goal lead with under 25 to play, the stingy Amherst defense bore down, allowing just one shot over the final 24:13 to seal the Lord Jeffs' program-record 20th-consecutive victory.

Amherst finished with a 15-11 shot advantage while Hopkins held a 9-6 edge in corners. Registering nine shots and eight corners through the first 45, the Blue Jays managed just two shots and earned just one corner against the Jeff defense in the second half.

Horwitz made five saves in the victory, while Redsun finished with nine stops in the loss.