AMHERST, Mass. – Fueled by four first-half goals, the Amherst College women's soccer team raced to a 4-0 victory over visiting Colby College Saturday, delivering head coach Jen Hughes her 100th career win. Six different players figured into the scoring as the Lord Jeffs moved to 8-1-1 (5-1-1 NESCAC) with their seventh shutout of the season, while the Mules fell to 7-4-0 (3-4-0 NESCAC).

In her ninth season, Hughes has posted a 100-29-20 mark at Amherst, including setting a program record for wins in 2011 and reaching the NCAA Quarterfinals.
 
Scoring for Amherst on Saturday were Megan Kim '16, Amanda Brisco '14, Mel Stier '15, and Sarah Duffy '14, while co-captains Kate Sisk '14 and Kathryn Nathan '13 tallied assists.

Amherst pressured early and often, finding a good chance moments into the match when Kim sent a hard cross across the box, but no Jeffs could put a foot on the pass. Colby had a strong early opportunity as well, when a ball into the box reached Crysti Tsujiura, but Amherst keeper Holly Burwick '16 charged forward to deflect the shot from close range.

Amherst got on the board in the ninth minute, when a Maya Jackson-Gibson '15 throw in from the left side reached Kate Sisk, who sent a ball into the box which was initially deflected by Colby keeper Emily Brook. Kim collected the rebound, however, and fired it into the far side of the Colby net to put the Jeffs ahead to stay with her fourth tally of an impressive rookie season. The play proved doubly costly for Colby, as Brook was injured on the initial save attempt and forced to leave the game for the remainder of the half.

With Jayde Bennett taking over in Goal for the Mules, Amherst ramped up its offensive pressure and struck again in the 16th minute, when Sisk sent a well-placed through ball into the box for Brisco, who fired it past the reach of Bennett into the left side of the net.

Moments later, the Jeffs nearly found another marker when Hannah Cooper '14 served a lofting ball into the box that bounced past Bennett and several Amherst players, but the Mule defense swarmed in time to clear the attempt.

Colby nearly cut the deficit in half shortly thereafter, when Annie Papadellis sent a strong cross to Abby Hatch, who found some space but mishit the ball, the shot easily rolling into the hands of Burwick.

The Mules kept up the attack, however, with a big ball from Kate Laxson into the box nearly causing trouble, but Burwick met Hatch in time to quash the effort.

In the 28th minute, Amherst made it comfortable, with Nathan sending a long through ball to a racing Stier. Bennett, a Mule defender, and Stier arrived on the ball nearly simultaneously, but it was Stier who put a toe on it and sent it rolling past a diving Bennett and into the net for a 3-0 Jeff lead.

During an exciting finish to the first half, Colby's Kate Pistel sent a strong free kick into the box which found the head of Hatch, but Burwick leapt high to control the header and keep the Mules off the board. Amherst quickly threatened on the counter attack as Spier created space on the left side, but her shot was just over the crossbar.

Colby had another solid chance moments later, when Hatch found space on the left side and sent a long through ball into the box. Again, Burwick came out to meet the pass' intended recipient and pounced on the loose ball for the save.

A scary moment for Colby took place 12 minutes before the half, when a charging Chloe McKenzie '14 collided with Bennett trying to corral a pass. The Mule keeper was knocked to the ground and appeared dazed, but after a delay of several minutes, she remained in the contest.

Amherst struck for its final tally in the 43rd when a long ball from Maggie Belnap '15 found Duffy open on the left side. The junior handled the pass, dribbled left, and lofted a beautiful shot over the leaping Bennett into the top left corner for the 4-0 Amherst lead.

Colby came out firing in the second half and nearly got one back with an early corner leading to a scramble in the box. Alex Yorke found some space and shot it past Burwick, but Sisk, guarding the left post for Amherst, headed away the attempt to preserve the shutout.

Amherst nearly padded the lead at 37:40 when Brisco found some space on the left side, but her shot was blocked away by a diving Brook, who had taken back over in goal for Colby at the start of the half.

Play quieted for much of the period, with the Amherst backline playing strong prevent defense to preserve the shutout. Colby had a good chance in the 71st on a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, but the Amherst wall stood fast, deflecting the attempt before Nathan cleared for the Jeffs. Moments later a powerful corner from the Mules' Emma Marjolet found the head of York, but the attempt flew just wide of the left post.

The play marked the end of the day of Burwick, who relinquished the goal to Meghan Mills '15 for the remainder of the contest. Burwick finished with six saves on a busy day.

Brook turned in a gem for Colby at the eight minute mark, when McKenzie found a bouncing ball in the box, but the Mule keeper dove to deflect her attempt, knocking it wide left of the goal. Brook finished with three saves, while Bennett stopped four Amherst attempts.

Amherst owned a 22-11 advantage in shots over the contest and a 7-2 edge in corners.

The Jeffs will right be back in action on Sunday, Oct. 14, hosting Bowdoin at 2 p.m. in a Senior Day contest.