With the victory, the Purple & White move to 1-0-0 on the year, while the Lyons fall to 1-2-0 overall. Amherst next hits the field on Saturday, Sept. 10 when they travel to Bowdoin College for a 12 p.m. conference tilt.

Heller would net Amherst's first goal of the year 31:58 into the young season, collecting a corner kick from Delancey King '18 just inside the box and volleying a shot past the Lyon goalkeeper and into the top corner of the net.

Retaining the one goal edge heading into the second half, the Purple & White doubled their lead at the 54:20 mark as Heller found the ball at her feet in a scrum in front of the goal and beat a defender before once again sending the ball into the netting.

Amherst outshot Mount Holyoke 22-3 and held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks in the matchup, while sophomore Chelsea Cutler (1-0-0) recorded three saves en route to earning the win in goal. Lyon goalie Zoe Marshall (1-2-0) made 10 saves in the losing effort for Mount Holyoke.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Controlling pace of play from the opening horn, Amherst first threatened 10 minutes into the first half as Hannah Guzzi '18 showed impressive patience with a well-timed run to net, however her shot soared just over the crossbar.   
• Amherst came up just short once again five minutes later as senior captain Emily Hester sent a free kick from a foot outside of the box inches left of the goal.
• Keeping the pressure on the Lyons, Rubii Tamen '19 headed a perfectly placed corner kick from King over the bar at the 21:16 mark.
• Mount Holyoke strung together its first attack on the Amherst goal a minute later as McKenna Lamb nearly corralled a free kick and earned a breakaway, however Tamen was able to redirect the ball just enough to allow Amherst to regain its defensive positioning. 
• Lamb would test the Purple & White once again at the 30:30 mark, forcing Cutler to come out of her net and make an impressive save to keep the game deadlocked at 0-0.
• Utilizing the momentum of Cutler's save, Amherst broke through a minute and a half later as Heller tallied her first goal of the season.
• First-year Erin McClave would prove to provide the final threat from either side in the opening half, sending a shot off the crossbar with seven minutes to play.
• Amherst opened the second half in impressive fashion, earning three corner kicks in the first six minutes while steadily applying offensive pressure.
• Heller would make it a 2-0 game nine minutes into the final half, finding the ball in a scrum and juking a defender before netting her second score of the match.
• Sophomore Grace Orr nearly provided Amherst with a final highlight reel play with 12:44 remaining in the game, sending a well-placed pass to Guzzi in the box and forcing Marshall to make an athletic save on a one-timed shot to keep the Lyon deficit at two.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Purple & White's 2-0 win marks the eighth time in as many seasons in which the women's soccer team has opened up its year with a victory.